Lost in the Storm
by azarathangel
Summary: A freak thunderstorm has hit Jump City as well as a new villain with strange powers and a stranger history. RobxRae STORY OFFICIALLY BACK IN ACTION
1. Dark Storm Rising

**Chapter 1: Dark Storm Rising**

Well, HERE WE ARE AGAIN, FRIENDS! This was one of my favorite stories I began, and I really am sad I never went back to finish it. I think I just started too many different stories in spring of 2005. Silly me. But I'm going to once again try to do this, and actually finish it. I have since lost all of my little notes and notebooks, but I'm going to see what I can come up with. I still remember all the details of Tempest's description. I actually made an entire illustration of him on some website back in the day… it was pretty cool. I think I shared it with Rebel-Aquarius (A, you still out there?)? I've revamped Tempest a LOT, giving him a whole legend and background and such. Shakespeare fans should be pleased with some of it.

Anyway, let's try this again, shall we? I'm going to try and figure out the rest of the storyline for this bad boy so I don't get muddled up again and leave everyone dangling off a cliff like last time. So rude of me. Feel free to brandish pitchforks and flames. I really deserve it.

After the storyboard, this one is definitely more of an action/adventure, but if anyone knows me, they know I love my RobinxRaven romance, so I'll try to sprinkle in as much of that as I possibly can! The storyboard itself is 11 pages long and not done yet, so we'll see how long this story ends up being.

On we go: Lost In the Storm, take two!

**Disclaimer: I own no part of DC Comics or their creations. Tempest is a little mine and a little Rebel-Aquarius'.**

I also claim no knowledge of meteorology. Sorry I'm not sorry.

P.S. never go to the real world. Job-hunting sucks mega monkeys.

* * *

The rumbling sky overhead announced the fast approaching storm as winds blew in from the west. The skies were already black despite the noon hour, and yet life in Titans Tower went on as usual. Cyborg and Beast Boy were in the kitchen arguing over lunch like they did every meal, obscuring the sounds of the oncoming storm. Battle cries of "Meat!" and "Tofu!" echoed through the main floor, as well as Starfire's pleading voice; she had ventured into the kitchen to try and settle the dispute after the first few clashes of frying pan and meat mallet had clanged through the living room. Robin and Raven remained silent where they sat on the couch. Raven was on the far end reading her latest horror novel while Robin watched the news, waiting to hear when the storm would hit Jump City.

"Now we see the low pressure in this quadrant coming to meet the high pressure here on the outskirts of Jump. The storm should be moving in around four this afternoon with heavy rains…" The weatherman's voice droned on, blocking out some of the din from the kitchen. Delicately flipping another page of her novel, Raven felt the stare again. She looked up to see Robin with his eyes still glued to the screen, engrossed in Weatherman Dan's report.

Raven let her gaze drop back to the words in front of her. She could have sworn someone was staring at her. Again. Glancing around the room, she noted it still lacked the louder three. Shrugging to herself, she settled back into the paperback, missing the small smirk growing on Robin's face.

His mask really was an unfair advantage, but he didn't care. He had indeed been watching her. It had become a habit of his, a kind of game. His fascination with the dark empath had always existed, but lately the urge to study her was much stronger than a simple curiosity. Honestly, he doubted he would ever tire of learning things about her, and he really would always be fascinated by her, but the massive truths of Raven were all but known to him at this point. Her father, her powers, her past, her favorite color; he even knew about the small teddy bear she kept tucked away in her room. All of this, he knew. But there was more he learned every day, and this time, the information was not coming from any sort of conscious effort. It was like these nuggets of information just appeared in his brain. The way that one lock of her hair was constantly in her face, how her eyes lit up when she was particularly excited about something, the slight drumming of her fingers on the cover of a book during a particularly suspenseful scene. And his favorite, the shy smile that made Robin want to fly. It rarely peeked out, but when it did, Robin found himself in high spirits for the next few days to the point of others wondering why he was so happy. These were the things that may have always been around, but he was finally noticing them, and there was no end to the joy of discovery. Like today. When Raven read horror novels, her right knee bounced up and down constantly. It was almost imperceptible, but Robin noticed. He noticed everything about her.

The knee bounce stop and Robin diverted his eyes back to the television screen, nothing betraying his previous focus. Raven wrinkled her eyebrows as she looked around. The kitchen had fallen silent, but still the three were nowhere to be found and Robin was watching the news. She gave her head a slight shake, sure her paranoia was stemming from the book in front of her, and her knee began to bounce again as she continued onto page seventy-five.

Robin kept his eyes on the television this time. He almost felt bad for disturbing her. If the others were in the room, it wouldn't be a problem, but she was more relaxed when it was just him around. Her usual laser focus for her book wasn't necessary when there weren't small green distractions running around, but while Robin was glad for their quiet moment, he knew it came at a cost, namely her ability to pick up on other things around her, like his stare. He smiled to himself as he shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch. Raven didn't look up.

The bond between the birds had grown stronger the past few months. The ever-present problem of Slade was one Robin could not let go of, and instead of struggling against him like the others, Raven had given him her quiet understanding and settled in to help him rather than fight him. Unbeknownst to her, this simple action had made Robin's unhealthy obsession less severe. His actions were less erratic, more planned out, and no longer the dangerous, life-threatening impulses of before. There were better things to focus on, he realized. And so he found himself making up random excuses to be with his lavender-haired friend more and more, and she accepted it without question. His fascination with her had evolved into a love that went beyond platonic, and as it grew, his obsession with Slade leveled out. And he knew Raven knew that. On some level, deep beneath her calm face, she knew. And Robin sailed through each day knowing she wasn't pushing back against it.

Another crash of thunder echoed overhead, but that wasn't what brought Robin away from his thoughts.

"Earth to Robin. I repeat, Raven to Bird Brain. Anyone up there?" Raven waved her hand in front of his eyes. Shaking his head slightly, Robin looked up to see the object of his affections impatiently tapping her foot, arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah, Rae?" he asked, flashing her a smile. She simply rolled her eyes at him.

"That's not my name," she deadpanned. "Cyborg and Beast Boy want to know what you want for lunch."

Before he could answer, the room started to blink red and the alarm blared.

"Never mind, then," she sighed. Robin dashed past her to the computer and punched in a few keys. He turned to the assembled Titans, ignoring the spatula in Cyborg's hand.

"The HIVE is trying to pull off a jewelry theft down near the square. Titans, go!" Robin commanded. The five ran to the garage, Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy clambering into the T-car. Raven began to climb in, but she felt a gentle hand clasp her wrist. Looking up, her amethyst eyes met those of a masked wonder.

"I haven't had the chance to fix my hover cells yet. Can you give me a lift?" Robin asked, gesturing towards his motorcycle. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"Um, okay," she said slowly. Robin smiled at her and pulled her with him towards the red machine. Sitting down, he turned to her.

"Hop on." Raven slowly got on behind him and tentatively put her arms around his waist. Holding on tight, she prepared herself for a drive only Robin could pull off. As soon as she was settled, Robin gunned the bike and they shot off after the blue car.

…

The dark choppy waters below only added to the sense of foreboding in the air. Lightning flashed in the distance and the swift wind rippled across the growling clouds. The Titans flew low and fast over the water, one car hovering five feet above and one red bike encased in black magic flying beside it, both heading to a flashing building in Jump City's town square. Raven smoothly landed the motorcycle on the street as Robin accelerated. The T-car landed a second later and chased after the fiery red streak. Raven held Robin tightly as he whipped around curves and launched off construction ramps to avoid traffic. If it had been anyone else flying through the city at 120 MPH, she would have already stopped the vehicle and maimed them, but she trusted Robin. She also loved the thrill of the ride and the rush of excitement that ran through her every time Robin performed some dangerous stunt designed to get them to the store faster, and Robin knew it. He could feel it in the grip of her arms and the thrum of her heartbeat against his back. And he loved it.

As they reached the line of police cars and men firing at the escaping criminals, Robin swerved over to a fire truck and accelerated even more as they ran up the length of the ladder. Reaching the top, Robin pulled the front up and they soared through the sky. Raven chanced a look at the ground. Below them, the T-car had screeched to a halt, and the other three Titans were hot on the HIVE's heels. As the motorcycle began its descent back towards terra firma, Raven shut her eyes and squeezed Robin's waist. He smiled as he felt her lay her head on his back, preparing for landing. They passed over Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo's heads and Robin landed in front of them. Riding a few yards further to absorb the shock of the landing, he brought the motorcycle around to face the fleeing group. Dismounting, he stepped off to one side and felt Raven follow suit and come up beside him, her cape brushing against his body as a gust of wind blew through.

"Looks like you're surrounded," Robin commented as the others came up behind the HIVE.

"But not defeated. You'll have to catch us first. Attack pattern Zeta!" Jinx yelled. Gizmo flew into the air and flipped around to open fire on the three Titans at the rear. Yellow electron blasts ripped through the air as blue and green shots came countering back. Jinx and Mammoth had their attention focused on the two birds blocking their exit.

Robin pulled out his Bo staff and gave it a twirl before running at Mammoth. Raven stood her ground, waiting for Jinx to come to her. And come she did. Throwing hexes and pink energy shots, Raven quickly put up shield after shield against the attacks, patiently waiting for her opening. Catching a pause in Jinx's assault, Raven flicked a garbage bin towards Jinx. While the pink-haired witch flipped backwards to avoid the projectile, Raven rose into the air.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she shouted. A street sign glowed black and flew at Jinx as she landed, twisting itself about and immobilizing her. She struggled against the cold metal but found no opening.

"Defeated," Raven said simply as she walked past Jinx. Jinx growled and tried to work a hand free, but it was no use: the metal was too tight. Raven flew up to help the others with Gizmo. He had made some new adjustments to his pack, it seemed. Robin was still locked in combat with Mammoth, but he looked to be done soon. Raven focused her energy and uttered her mantra, sending Gizmo's wings melting into oblivion.

"Stupid scrum-buffing Titans!" Gizmo shouted as his spider legs shot out of the backpack, catching him above the ground. Raven watched Cyborg grab and twist the front two legs, sending Gizmo into a waiting Stegosaurus tail, when a sudden pain seared through her shoulder.

…

Robin blocked and parried every punch and kick Mammoth threw at him, but he could not get a clear shot at the giant. After a few more swings from Mammoth, he finally saw his opening. Leaping high into the air, Robin flipped over Mammoth and kicked the back of his head. Upon landing, he swung his leg out behind him, bringing the giant crashing to the ground where he lay still. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Robin glanced up to see Raven melt Gizmo's wings. He smiled and turned to see what state Jinx had been left in.

Jinx was on the street wrapped in a metal pole, watching the battle just as Robin had been. She was struggling against one of the bars, and Robin walked a bit closer to see what she was doing. She smiled and he saw a hand free of the mtal prison. Robin began running towards her to stop her, but Jinx was too fast. A purple-pink glow emitted from her hand and the energy flew from her fingertips with a small explosion. Robin skidded to a halt as the spell whipped past him, the energy heading straight for Raven's turned back.

"Raven!" Robin shouted, throwing a freeze disc back towards Jinx as he charged towards the floating mystic. She turned and the energy blast skidded over her shoulder. Raven heaved a bit in the air, fighting the effects of the glancing shot, but her eyes fluttered shut.

Time seemed to slow around Robin as he watched her go limp and fall back towards the ground. Robin sprang off the ground and caught her still form just before she hit the cement. Tucking into a ball, Robin somersaulted and came up on one knee with Raven in his arms

"Where's the train," Raven mumbled. Robin smiled a little in relief. The hex had only been a sleeping charm.

"Raven, time to get up," Robin said gently, shaking her.

"Five more minutes," she said softly, curling against the cold wind and nuzzling up against Robin. He felt a blush creep up the back of his neck. This was a new side of Raven nobody had ever seen. Except maybe her teddy bear.

"Raven, wake up!" Robin shook her again as Gizmo flew over his head and crashed into a car in front of them, Starfire casually floating behind him. Raven yawned a bit and slowly opened her eyes. Sitting up, she gingerly touched her shoulder where the spell had hit.

"What happened?" she groaned. Noticing where she was, Raven quickly leapt up only to fall back again. Robin smirked as he stood up with her in his arms for the second time that day.

"Robin, put me down! I can walk," Raven said, struggling against him.

"If you can walk, how come can't stand? That hex Jinx threw at you was strong," Robin said. "You may be conscious now, but your muscles are still waking up." Raven scowled and gave him her infamous death glare.

"Down, Robin," she hissed. He resisted the urge to laugh. Her cheeks were tinged pink and that one strand of hair kept flying into her face.

"Okay! But when you fall down, don't blame me," he said.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to attack Jinx first," Raven responded cooly. Robin set her down again and she stumbled a bit before regaining her balance. "See?" she said before turning to go back to a half-frozen Jinx. Robin shook his head with a laugh and went to help Starfire extract Gizmo from the crumpled car while the other two loaded Mammoth into the armored car down the street.

…

The rain started slowly at first, but soon the Titans were drenched. Lightening lit up the sky as the car with the HIVE drove off towards the police station.

"Finally," Cyborg said, clapping his hands together. "We missed lunch and I'm starved. Who wants pizza?" He grinned and gestured towards the pizza parlor on the left.

"Anything to get out of the rain!" Beast Boy ran after Cyborg towards the restaurant.

"Friends? Are you to be joining us?" Starfire questioned as she began to float after the other two. She watched Robin watch Raven. Raven's face was pointed towards the sky and her hood was off, the rain falling freely across her pale skin and soaking her.

"What, Star?" Robin came out of his trance and looked at Starfire. She felt a smile on her face. The two members of their team, so known for mystery, were not the most subtle of people when it came to some things.

"Lunch?" Starfire repeated.

"Oh, yeah, Star, we'll be there in a bit," Robin answered. Starfire nodded happily and flew off after Beast Boy and Cyborg. There was another battle to referee, only this time she would have a bottle of mustard in front of her as she mediated insults.

"Raven?" Robin called. "You okay?" He walked up to her but stopped when he reached her. There was a small smile on her face as the raindrops fell on her and ran through her hair. She was thoroughly soaked, but Robin had never seen her look so peaceful.

Raven always ventured outside when the rains fell. She could stay out on the roof for hours on end, something Robin knew all too well if only because he worried she would catch cold and often left steaming cups of tea by her door for her return from the roof. But the rain was Raven's medication. It helped calm her in a way meditation could not. And this was her favorite kind of storm. Lots of thunder and lightning, heavy rains that soaked through clothes within minutes of exposure. No one came out during these heavy storms, so they provided the solitude she loved.

"Raven? Time to go," Robin said again, gently placing a hand on her upper arm. Her eyes opened slowly and she locked eyes with him. The smile still floated on her lips and Robin felt his heart skip a beat.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Not really. I think I'm going to head home," Raven said. The thunder crashed overhead and Robin flinched a bit.

"Need a ride? It's getting pretty nasty out here," Robin responded.

"Sure. Let's go tell the others, first. I think our transmissions will get muddled in this," Raven said, gesturing towards the weather. She walked towards the restaurant and Robin trotted after her.

"We're heading home before the storm gets any worse," Robin told the others as he and Raven stood dripping by the table.

"We're doing takeout, anyway. News just said the storm is supposed to get a lot worse." Cyborg pointed at a television. "We'll meet y'all back at the tower in a few." Raven nodded and walked back out with Robin into the rain.

"Can we stay in the 50-100 MPH range on the way home, please? Crashing and dying doesn't sound too appealing," Raven told Robin as they climbed onto the bike.

"Fine by me," Robin smiled. "Let's go before the sky really breaks."

"You mean it hasn't already?" Raven questioned as Robin started the motorcycle. Robin laughed.

"Hold on. Don't want you flying off." Raven adjusted her slippery grip and Robin waved to the others before kicking the bike into motion, sending the pair back towards the tower.

…

Robin watched the rain fall from his place on the couch. It had gotten heavier halfway back, and even worse after they got inside the garage. Robin could barely make out the city lights through the thick rain. Raven had retreated to her room as soon as they got home and Robin was left alone to watch the droplets chase each other down the windowpane. It was eerie being in Titans Tower by himself. Sure, Raven was hovering around somewhere, but he wished she were here with him. He had kept the lights off, choosing instead to watch the lightning crackle across the evening sky. Another flash lit up the room and Robin jumped in surprise. A dark shape was now sitting on the couch across from him, watching the storm outside as well.

"I thought you went to your room," Robin said lightly. The figure did not answer. "Raven?" Robin ventured again. When she again did not respond, he walked over towards her. Jinx's hex couldn't have fallen back over her; it had been too long. He heard the other three Titans swish through the door and the fluorescent lights illuminated the room. He barely registered the three screams from his other teammates. A small, strangled noise escaped Robin's throat as the four Titans looked at Raven propped up on the couch.

…

Don't worry, just a little dash of horror in here for the sake of an evil cliffhanger. I didn't expect this to get written so quickly, so don't get your hopes up for the rest! I had a burst of midnight energy. Still finishing the storyboard for the last few chapters, but I'll start on the next few chapters soon!


	2. Tempest

**Chapter 2: Tempest**

Shoutout to Rebel-Aquarius for all her help with this back in the day!

* * *

He watched the chaotic scene unfold before his eyes with a grin. The cyborg was unsuccessfully shouting orders to the others, and the living room was a mess of screaming, fainting, and distress. He felt his smile widen. The green boy had fainted once again and the redhead was desperately trying to revive him, fanning his face and shaking him roughly. A brightly clad boy was hovering around the other girl, the one he had found so wonderfully off-guard on the roof. The boy was trying to halt the crimson that flowed from various wounds upon her body with not much success. He watched as the cyborg threw his hands in the air in frustration. Pushing the ebony-haired boy aside, the cyborg grabbed the girl and rushed out the door, the other boy sprinting after him. A chuckle bubbled up in the spectator's chest and he dropped to the ground from his cloud outside the living room of the T-shaped tower.

They were so flashy, he thought to himself. Their bright tower, brilliantly lit up and glowing in the bay, mocked him. It said, "Here we are, the beloved freaks of Jump City, look at us." He had seen the end of their battle earlier today. How the police so warmly shook their leader's hand, how the neon glow of the restaurant welcomed them. The stranger felt a scowl take the place of his smirk as he walked to the edge of the small island to the angry waves. The rain fell harder as he raised his hands to the sky. In one quick motion, a giant burst of thunder echoed through the city followed by a crash of lightning. It was like daylight for a split second, and then the power throughout the city flickered and fell. The only light source for miles was now the lightning and Titans Tower. Backup generators, of course.

The man summoned a cloud and he stepped lightly onto it. His flight took him back to the mainland to a rocky inlet on the outskirts of the city. He found the stone he was looking for and pressed a hand to the concealed memory pad. A door hissed open, and he stepped into the dimly lit room. Cracking his neck and stretching, he made his way over to the counter to fix himself a cup of coffee.

He was known as Tempest. Anyone who had seem him would tell you he was a man stuck in his late twenties who came from the sky a few years back. Roughly six feet tall, his skin was light, stretched tightly across a toned body. A jagged scar ran across his left eye and a single silver stud was set in his left ear. His silver eyes matched the long silver hair that cascaded over his shoulder and across the back of his black trench coat. The silver stitching of the coat still glistened with raindrops from his storm. Removing the coat to dry, Tempest shook it once and hung it on a rock near his door. Sitting, he propped his heavy black boots up on another rock, watching the rainwater drip off the silver buckles. He slipped a set of swords from his belt and set them next to him. The hilts glowed with lightning designs, and he handled them ever so delicately. Removing one from its sheath, he studied the inscriptions on the blades carefully, smirking. Blood obscured some of the markings, and he wiped the blade on the sleeve of his long black shirt.

It was almost painfully easy, his rooftop ambush. That girl with the lavender hair… she had no idea he was there. He hadn't gotten a good look at her through the rain and sword flurry, but it didn't matter. They were all just earth freaks, just like he had once been. But he was more than that, now. Adding mastery of martial arts and swordsmanship to his power over the storms had made him the stuff of legends. It was his responsibility to spread his legend across earth now. The 'Titans' would know him and fear him, and he would enjoy every minute of it.

…

"Cyborg," Robin said again, wiping blood from Raven's face as the metal man hooked her up to a few machines. Finishing, he turned back to Robin.

"What happened?"

"I don't know! We got home, she went to her room, I was watching the storm, there was lightning and then she was suddenly in the room! I thought she was asleep or something when I was walking over to her and then you all came back and turned the lights on." Robin paused to catch his breath. "I don't know what happened to her or how she got to the living room. She sure wasn't there a minute before that!"

"She was soaking wet. Are you sure she didn't go outside?" Cyborg asked sternly. Robin clapped his hands to his face and sat down in a chair shakily, trying to avoid looking at the scorched blue cloak on the ground next to him.

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!" he said, voice rising with each repetition. "I should have been there, should have done something or heard something! You know Raven, Cyborg. She was probably on the roof when it happened. She loves storms."

Cyborg's harsh face softened as he saw his leader hunched over in the chair. He didn't know what he had been thinking. He was just worried about Raven. Finding her like that on the couch, propped up for show, bleeding and burned… it had been scary for all of them. He looked back to the girl lying on the white bed. A slice on her cheek, a burn on her shoulder, blood seeping through her ripped leotard from a gash on her side. Cyborg shook his head and he pressed a cloth to her abdomen.

"Sorry, man," he said in apology. Robin nodded. "Will you hand me those bandages?" Robin raised his head and grabbed the pile Cyborg was pointing to.

"I didn't see her between the time we got home and when you got home. If she was outside, that would explain the burn marks," Robin said, settling his leader face into place. He watched as Cyborg continued to clean off the many cuts and scrapes Raven had. Stepping up next to him, Robin took one of the bandages and began wrapping the cleaned wounds.

"Her healing powers should kick in soon enough and she'll wake up," Cyborg said, half to himself and half to Robin.

"Good thing we have backup generators," Robin commented, looking outside. "The power in the whole city has gone out."

"Weird," Cyborg said. "This whole damn storm is weird."

"Um, Cyborg?" Robin said. Cyborg looked down to where Robin held Raven's pale wrist in his hand. "What is this."

It wasn't a question. Robin practically spat in anger as he glared at the brand on Raven's wrist. Blood still leaked from small marks around the lightning bolt brand, the flesh angry and red where it had been burned into her skin. There was almost a glow to the carved outline of the mark, like it was alive with energy. Staring at it gave the illusion of movement.

"What the hell," Cyborg said. Robin's eyes narrowed.

"We've got a new villain," he growled.

…

Tempest stood on a hill outside the city and watched as fires were put out by the heavy rain and firefighters. Raising a hand to the sky, he made a fist and thunder shook the ground. He watched as the ground rattled, sending small tidal waves running across the deep floodwaters in the streets. He threw back his head and let out a long, malevolent laugh. He brought his fist down in a swift motion, bringing more lightning to the city in front of him. More buildings caught fire and he feasted on the screams he could hear. Holding his hands out in front of him, lightning connected him to the sky. As he absorbed the heat and electricity, a young boy watched him from the streets below.

"Mommy? What is that?" He tugged on his mother's rain-soaked skirt. His mother looked to where he was pointing and her eyes grew wide at the sight of a man with a billowing black coat and lightning hands. He was the very reason she had left the Midwest and moved to Jump City.

The villain had terrorized her former home. He had grown up there, just another midwestern boy who did well in school and loved soccer. He had been struck by lightning as a baby and never quite recovered, that she knew, but she hadn't known the extent of the damage until he returned to his childhood home years after his parents sent him away to "be fixed." He had returned with silver hair and swords, and all hell broke loose.

"Tempest," she whispered. Her son looked up at her with a confused, frightened face as she fumbled for her cell phone, praying for reception. She dialed a number and whispered a few words into the phone before the windows in Titans Tower began flashing red.

…

"Titans, trouble!" Robin shouted over the intercom. Cyborg did one final check of Raven's vitals before exchanging a knowing glance with Robin and racing to the living room where Beast Boy and Starfire were waiting.

"Some guy named Tempest is on a hill outside the city causing all this weather. Let's go," Cyborg said.

"But what about friend Robin?" Starfire questioned, noticing the masked boy's absence.

"He's staying to watch over Raven and we'll call him if we need him. Titans, go!" Cyborg commanded. Starfire swooped out the door with Beast Boy close behind.

…

Tempest watched as two figures and a car came off the island with the T-shaped tower.

"Here comes the cavalry," he murmured to himself. "Let's see what they can do."

* * *

Short chapter, but the speed of updating has to make up for that, right? Maybe?


	3. Explanations

**Chapter 3: Explanations**

A moment of reverential silence in honor of that one time Lain the Fluff Master reviewed my story and I had the biggest fangirl moment ever in 2005…

Onto chapter three!

* * *

"See him?" Cyborg asked the other two Titans as they watched the villain from a rocky patch at the bottom of the hill.

"Dude! He's freaky! And I thought Thunder and Lightning were weird!" Beast Boy hissed.

"Yes, friends, I am of the agreement. That was quite freaky," Starfire whispered as she watched the light and sound show take place above her.

"Alright, team, what's the plan of attack?" Beast Boy asked the others in a mock Robin tone. A vein in Cyborg's head throbbed, but he didn't say anything.

"Beast Boy, turn into something small, other than you," Beast Boy punched Cyborg's arm, "and sneak around him to the backside of the hill. Starfire and I will conduct a frontal assault and we'll give you a signal to come in from the rear. Got it?" Cyborg faced the younger Titans. Starfire looked a little confused.

"So this is a combination of the sneaky attack and frontal assault?" the orange-skinned girl asked. Cyborg nodded. Starfire beamed at him to show she understood and the metal man motioned for Beast Boy to go. Without delay, he morphed into a field mouse and began his struggle across the sodden ground and tall grass.

…

Robin chewed his power lip as he watched Raven. Her face was no longer as white as before and her normal ashy coloring was returning to her face. Glancing at the board behind her, he checked her vital signs for what seemed like the umpteenth time since the others had left the tower. He was itching to go fight the man who had hurt Raven, but he dared not leave her side while she was still so vulnerable. Her heart rate was almost back to normal. Sighing despairingly, he sank down into a chair next to the bed.

Her eyelids felt like they had been injected with lead and her body ached. Raven heard a sigh that wasn't hers and she tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't budge. She felt so tired, but she was determined not to fade back into the peaceful darkness again. The sound of a chair scraping across the floor rang outside her head. She focused on her surroundings. The hospital wing, perhaps? Soft beeps came into focus in her mind. She felt someone's presence, worry and care flooding off in waves. Robin.

Gathering all of her energy, she forced her eyelids open. The shadowed medical room of Titans Tower greeted her. Blinking a few times, she slowly turned her head to see the top of Robin's head next to her. The panic in her abated despite the pain that still seared through most of her body. He would make everything okay, just like he always did for her. Her best friend, the one who knew everything about her. But where were the others? She tried to turn her head to see beyond him, but the movement sent a new wave of pain rippling down her neck. A whimper escaped her and she squeezed her eyes shut again.

"Raven?" Robin breathed out, head shooting up from the bed. His mask was slightly skewed and Raven resisted the urge to reach out and touch his face, if only because she knew pain would follow the movement. Everything hurt.

"What happened?" she said weakly. Robin let out a breath and dipped his head towards the bed again, one hand finding Raven's and the other going to her face.

"Raven," he repeated, as if he was sending thanks up for her open eyes. He lifted his head back up and locked eyes with her. "I was hoping you could tell me what happened."

"What?"

"When we got home, you went back to your room, so I went to watch the storm in the living room by myself. I kept the lights off, and one minute you weren't there and the next you were. I went to turn on the lights, and," Robin paused and Raven felt him squeeze her hand ever so gently as he swallowed. "Let's just say you weren't in the best of conditions."

"I'm starting to feel that," she managed. She tried to shift her head and her shoulder screamed in protest. Robin helped her to a sitting position.

"There was blood everywhere, your clothes were torn, there were burn marks, and you were soaking wet," Robin said. "Do you remember anything that happened when we got home?"

Raven considered him for a moment, thinking. They had gotten home and he had invited her to sit with him in the living room. He had held her hand then, too, but nerves had gotten the best of her and she had retreated to her room. True, she was most comfortable around Robin, but she liked it to be on her own terms. She was still getting used to him inserting himself in her daily schedule. Usually she allowed it, even encouraged it at times, but after the motorcycle ride and everything, she had decided it was best to meditate. But she couldn't say that to him.

"Well, kind of," she started. "After we got to the tower, I wanted to meditate, so I went up to the roof. I heard something behind me, but I thought it was just the storm. I checked it out but couldn't find or sense anyone. There was a big lightning clash that startled me again and I opened my eyes. There was someone in front of me." The memories were starting to come back, and Raven flinched involuntarily as she remembered the piercing silver eyes in front of her on the roof. This did not go unnoticed by Robin.

"Who, Rae?" She did not dispute the nickname.

"He was tall. Silver eyes, long silver hair, black coat. He had a scar on his face. I was startled and fell backwards, and when I stood to fight, he hit me." Raven slowly lifted a hand to her face to touch the tender bruise. Her elbow protested at the movement. "I landed back by the door and tried to open it to get back inside, but he threw something and the door was stuck. I think it was a sword." Raven closed her eyes, remembering the blurry scene. "Yes, a sword. With gold designs on the hilt. It must have pierced the door and lodged in the frame. I tried to throw something at him, but it was hard to see. I might have hit him a few times before he was there again. It was like he moved with the rain, or the light. I felt him grab my wrist and he was holding another sword, but all I remember after that is how much it hurt. There was fire and that sword, then nothing." Raven squeezed her eyes shut again, trying to draw any more memories of the roof to mind. Robin realized she was shaking. He carefully placed a hand on the back of her neck where he knew there were no injuries. He gently squeezed her, standing and settling his head against hers. He was so thankful she was awake, talking, remembering. He felt Raven tense slightly beneath him, but her hand squeezed his and he knew this was okay. Stepping back, he sighed. How he wished he could kiss her bruised lips. Instead, he sat back down in the chair and pulled it close to the side of the bed.

Robin gently turned her hand upwards to reveal the underside of her left wrist. She gave him a questioning look as he unwrapped it. Slowly taking off the bandages, he revealed to her an angry brand in the shape of a lightning bolt, outlined in neat cuts. Raven's mind slowly processed the mark as she looked from it to Robin's stony face.

"Who?" was the single word she said to him.

"Tempest. That guy," he said, pointing out the window to a lone shadow atop a hill with lightning spitting from his fingertips.

…

"Do you believe friend Beast Boy has arrived at the far side of the hill?" Starfire whispered to Cyborg. Her companion gave a short jerk of his head as he readied his cannon.

"You ready?" her murmured to her. Starfire responded with glowing green eyes. "Let's go."

* * *

Oops, more short chappies. Just going off the original backbone, sorry y'all! More to come in the next few days.


	4. New Markings

**Chapter 4: New Markings**

More chapters! Huzzah! I want to try and get at least this and one more done before Thursday because then I'll be out of town for a few days to see the Backstreet Boys. Because I'm an adult. Boom.

* * *

Robin was pacing back and forth in front of the window, his eyes focused on the villain across the bay. Raven was behind him, meditating on the hospital bed. Turning away from the window, Robin walked back towards her. A calm and gentle expression had settled over her features, replacing the troubled and pained one from earlier. It was a nice change, Robin thought. He glanced over her exposed skin and noticed her injuries were faded. It was time to draw her from her trance.

"Raven," he said. Slowly, she began to come out of her meditative state and settle back on the bed two inches below her hovering form.

"What?" she asked, clearly annoyed at the interruption. Her hard eyes softened a bit upon noticing Robin. She didn't think that crease had left his brow in hours.

"I need to check your injuries again," he told Raven. Taking one of her arms, he unbandaged it to find the cuts and burns completely gone. He looked at her inquisitively.

"That's why I was meditating. I was healing myself," she said. "Most of the injuries were surprisingly shallow, minus two or three."

"And the burn?" Robin said as he quickly grabbed her left wrist and unwrapped it. He saw her wince.

"I couldn't get rid of that mark. Everything else is better, but, but not this," Raven said quietly, drawing her hand back to her and closing her thin fingers around her wrist. "It still burns. And it hurts around the mark, not just on it. It shouldn't, but it does."

Robin felt his hands ball into fists at his sides. There were injuries, and then there were _injuries_. A brand. The deliberate nature of it, the aspect of labeling behind it… it was almost sickening. Robin remembered the marks on Raven's body during the prophecy and how she had struggled to hide those. He remembered how she told him how those were almost as bad as the actual prophecy. They didn't hurt badly, but the fact that she was like property with them displayed to the world was a kind of psychological battle she never wanted to face again. And here they were with this on her wrist.

Raven noticed Robin's tense shoulders and the veins throbbing in his exposed forearms. He looked how she felt. Her wrist suddenly pulsated with pain and she felt her heart heave in her chest.

"So, everything is better except your wrist?" Robin said, placing a hand on her arm as he bent down to look her in the eye. Raven forced her eyes open and she looked back at him.

"I think so," she replied in a tight voice. Robin saw the grip she had around the wound and he took her wrist in his hand, gently pulling her fingers off. Reluctantly, she released her grasp and allowed Robin to study the mark. Both of them gasped as their eyes met over the brand.

…

Tempest watched with an amused look as the metal man and alien charged at him from their not-so-secret hiding spot. Smirking, he drew one of his swords.

Cyborg stopped halfway to Tempest, Starfire screeching to a halt above him. Their villain was watching them with amusement? Cyborg growled. The Titans were nothing to be laughed at. Electricity sparked as Tempest touched the sword, the yellow and white light traveling to the blade and creating a charged halo around the metal edge.

Tempest's amusement faded to annoyance. The two were just sitting there, staring. Though to his credit, the metal man had the sense to at least look angry and not like an idiot. That redheaded flying girl, though. Her head was cocked to one side like an idiotic puppy. It would be up to him to make the first move. Drawing more energy from the sky, Tempest spelled out the words 'Bring it on' above him against the dark clouds. This snapped the two out of whatever trance they were in and the redhead fired a bolt of green light at him. Raising his sword, Tempest swung at the bolt as it whizzed by him.

"Batter up!" he cried.

…

Robin was the first to recover from the initial shock.

"That's the name of the villain. Tempest," Robin spoke as he and Raven studied her wrist. No longer was it only a lightning bolt. The name of their foe had burned itself into Raven's skin above the original mark.

"Well that's original," Raven choked out. Robin gave her humor a sad smile. If he were an empath, he was sure he would be able to feel a maelstrom of emotion flooding off her right now. Anger, fear, confusion…

"The others should be fighting him right now." Robin stood to check the window, watching Raven from the corner of his eye. As much as he wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her, he knew that would only make things worse right now. Raven was independent and strong, and this mark on her wrist was taking serious hacks at how she perceived that in her mind. She took her burnt and torn cape from the floor and threw it over her shoulders before joining him.

"Well this guy is impatient, that's for sure," Raven observed as 'bring it on' appeared above the distant shadow.

"He got Starfire fighting," Robin replied as a neon green starbolt flew from the dark up towards Tempest. He saw Raven try to pull her hood over her head, but there was no hood left to wear. He pretended not to notice as her hands grasped at air and fell back to her sides. Robin cleared his throat.

"So, with the exception of an amazingly freaky wrist, you all good to go?" Robin asked Raven. She was quiet for a moment, studying the scene outside the window. Robin let his gaze linger over her face. Her incredibly beautiful face, he thought as a flash of lightning lit up her features. Most of the marks on her face were gone except one thin line that stretched from her forehead to her cheekbone, but even that was fading fast. Some of the tips of her hair were singed, her cape was a dirty torn mess of mud and scorch marks, and her leotard was shredded on her left arm and ripped other places. But she was still the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

Raven felt some heat begin to creep up the back of her neck at the emotions coming from Robin. She forgot when, but at some point a few weeks back, he had completely forgone any sort of control over what he knew her empathy could pick up in close proximity. Like he wanted her to know about these feelings, but wanted her to be able to make a decision about something (she wasn't sure exactly what that was) without any words spoken. The whole situation was an annoying mixture of confusion and clarity. Robin's strong emotions towards her, her uncharacteristic acceptance and embrace of them, but no words were ever spoken regarding them. It was weird. Raven didn't think this was how earth relationships were supposed to work.

"I don't get it," she said, turning to look at Robin. He looked startled and she held back a laugh. "How could he etch his name into my wrist? He's all the way over there, and we're all the way over here," Raven said. She could see Robin slowly shifting gears in his mind as he gathered his thoughts and digested what she had said.

"We'll figure that out later," he responded. "I think the others are struggling a bit with our new guy." Robin pointed back out the window to a battle that didn't seem to be going so well.

…

Tempest had deflected most every starbolt and cannon shot thrown at him and he was growing bored of his baseball game. Giving out an exaggerated yawn, he called out to the tired Titans below him.

"I'm getting rather bored up here. What else you got?"

"You want the real thing, lightning boy?" Cyborg shouted. "Then ready or not, here we come!" He swiftly closed the distance between him and Tempest with Starfire right behind him. Jumping into the air, Starfire caught Cyborg's arm and flipped them both around. Using the momentum, she flung him down towards Tempest and Cyborg brought his fists crashing down into the ground. The earth shook a little and small fissures ran in jagged lines away from the small crater. It was an attack designed to knock opponents back, to stun and give an opening for a quick follow-up attack. Cyborg looked up, eyes wide in surprise. Tempest stood balancing on his sword a few yards away, the tip of it neatly stuck in one of the cracks in the ground.

"I said I wanted the real thing," Tempest said coolly, flipping backwards and landing beside his sword. "Please tell me that wasn't it. I'd be quite disappointed."

"That was most certainly not our greatest!" Starfire yelled. "There is, um, more where that came from!" She quickly shot off an eyebeam and caught Tempest in the chest. Falling backwards, he used the force from his fall to somersault backwards and land in a crouch. He smiled.

"You hit me. Congratulations. But now," his smile turned to a smirk and his gleaming silver eyes narrowed. "Playtime is over, kids." Springing forward, he yanked his sword out of the ground and leapt into the air.

"Beast Boy! Now!" Cyborg shouted as Tempest came flying towards him. A screech echoed across the hilltop as a green pterodactyl came rocketing across the grass. A pained look crossed Tempest's face as his leap turned into an uncontrolled flight over the Titans' heads. He caught a fleeting glance of the green boy standing cockily behind him before a rough jolt and a mouthful of dirt brought him back to the task at hand. He tumbled head over heels down the steep slope of the hill, only stopping when he crashed into the rocks below where the metal man and redhead had been hiding earlier.

"Friend Beast Boy, that was most spectacular!" Starfire clapped her hands together gleefully.

"Man, you were right there for that!" Cyborg laughed as he bumped knuckles with a smiling Beast Boy.

"Sorry to rain on his parade, but the forecast today is a one hundred percent chance of whoop ass!" Beast Boy laughed at his own joke.

"There is a parade?" Starfire asked. Cyborg slapped his face with his palm.

A hundred yards below them, a dark shape was stirring. Tempest bit his tongue as a ripple of pain shot across his body and he quickly banished it from mind. He slid a hand across the dirt towards his sword and grabbed the handle. Rising slowly, he began his slow creep up the hill.

…

Robin and Raven had been heading out the door to join their teammates when Raven heard a faint shriek from the window. She had dragged Robin back just in time to see Beast Boy slam into Tempest. Rather, they saw a shape fly into a leaping shadow and decided to stay and watch to see what would happen next and try and get the others up on the communicator.

"What the hell are they doing? He's right behind them!" Robin said frantically as they watched the three shadows stand around while another slunk up the hill, barely visible through the rain. Robin clicked the 'call' button on his communicator again but there was no response. Raven snatched her own comm from the hospital table.

"Stop laughing, you idiots! He's right behind you!" she yelled into the speaker. Raising her head back to the window, she saw a long object with crackling energy around it swing down at one of the larger shadows—Cyborg most likely. The weapon continued down as the head of the shadow glanced at its arm. As if in a bad dream, the object hissed through the air and right through Cyborg's head. Raven's breath caught in her throat as she started to sway back and forth. Feeling a firm body behind her, she let herself fall into Robin's arms.

Robin caught Raven around the waist and slowly lowered them to the chair by the window. He forgot how much energy her healing powers took, and then Cyborg—he wouldn't think it. Cyborg was fine. Gently prying the communicator from Raven's hand, he pressed the button on the side.

"Cyborg? Do you read?" Robin said hoarsely.

* * *

Yeah, yeah, cliffhanger. It's not like you don't already know what happens though, right? =) More later!


	5. The Black Glade

**Chapter 5: The Black Glade**

Oh look, an attempt at an action scene! Yay!

Sorry for the delay. As previously mentioned, I galavanted off into the sunset (sunrise, rather) for a Backstreet Boys concert up in New Jersey. It was spectacular. I was one of the younger people there, which was a little shocking considering the BSB were big when I was in middle school. Anyway, on with chapter 5!

* * *

A loud, crackling voice cut through the laughter on the hill.

"…idiots…stop…behind you…" hissed from Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire's communicators. Static garbled the rest of the message. Cyborg looked down at his arm as he recognized Raven's voice.

"Hey, y'all, Raven's awake!" he exclaimed. Starfire screamed and an electric blade announced its presence as it swung through the air towards Cyborg's head.

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy cried out. Cyborg heard the electricity hiss through the air and quickly side-stepped, ready to dive away from where he stood, but the sword was too fast. He felt the hot metal cut into him and raw panic stopped his movements.

"Cyborg, move!" Beast Boy yelled again. Cyborg felt a body ram into his side and he and Beast Boy toppled to the sodden grass as the sword came down again where they had been standing. Green bolts flew over their heads as Starfire charged at Tempest, pushing him back with shout after shout of righteous fury.

"You will regret that!" she yelled as a particularly powerful eye blast knocked Tempest further down the hill.

Cyborg sat up from the ground, pulling Beast Boy with him. Groaning, he heard another message crackle through on his arm.

"Cyborg…you read…" Robin's voice scratched out. Cyborg lifted his arm and reached down to push the talk button but all he felt as a poke on his leg. Looking down, he yelped as his arm flopped around on the grass.

"He cut off my arm!" Cyborg shouted, livid. "I'm going to light that punk up when I get my hands back on him… Beast Boy, help Starfire!"

"You so owe me, dude," Beast Boy called over his shoulder before he somersaulted into a cheetah and streaked down the hill. Cyborg nodded and picked his arm off the ground.

"Cyborg to tower. Anyone there?" he asked.

...

"Cyborg…anyone…" Raven's communicator spat out. The voice of a friend feared dead sliced through the silence in the med lab, jolting Raven out of her dazed state. Shakily leaping up, she lunged at Robin and grabbed the communicator from his hand.

"Cyborg? Are you okay?" she said hurriedly, one hand gripping Robin's shoulder and the other white-knuckled on the communicator.

"Yeah, Rae… All right…only got…arm…" his gentle voice replied. A small, tearful smile crossed Raven's face as she sighed in relief, knees beginning to buckle.

"Thank you, Azar," she whispered to the air before sinking down to the floor. Robin cringed as her knees cracked against the linoleum and he quickly fell to the ground next to her as she fell over sideways, eyes closed and hand still on his shoulder. Her legs slid across the floor, upper body settling across Robin's lap. Her hand fell from his shoulder and Robin caught it in his own. Slipping the yellow communicator from her grasp, he flipped it open to see Cyborg's face amidst the static.

"Cyborg, we thought you…" Robin's voice cracked as a lump sprang up in his throat. Cyborg smiled.

"Nothing a quick weld won't fix. We need you and Raven, though. He's tough." Cyborg glanced back over his shoulder to check on the others.

Robin nodded. "We're on our way. Just need to revive Raven."

"She fainted?" Cyborg's eyes widened with alarm. "Is she okay?"

Robin nodded again. "She's tired and a bit weak from healing herself, and then we saw the blade on the hill…" Robin swallowed hard before continuing. "You're her big brother, Cy. She was sick with worry, and I didn't really help. You're my best friend, and I know she was picking up on my emotions while she was trying to control her own, and we all know how that ends up." Robin directed the image to the overturned hospital bed and shredded sheets behind him. "We really thought you were gone," he said with a sigh, unconsciously stroking Raven's hair.

"Well, big brother Cy is here to stay, man," Cyborg said with a smile. "Now get your butts down here! I know a certain punk that needs a sonic boom to the face. Cyborg, out." And with that, the smiling cyborg's face disappeared behind static.

Robin smiled a little before pocketing Raven's communicator. Looking down at the dark beauty in his lap, his smile grew. Here she was, his Raven. And she was okay, too.

"Hey, Rae." He gently shook her. Her eyes fluttered open and focused on the domino mask hovering above her. Realizing her head was in Robin's lap and the rest of her was sprawled on the floor, she quickly sat up, swaying slightly as she set her palms against the floor to steady herself.

"He's okay?" she whispered, not looking at Robin.

"Just got his arm. He's fine," Robin replied, one hand reaching out to touch Raven's back. She didn't tense up at the contact.

"I think it's time we go introduce ourselves properly to this guy," Raven muttered. Robin laughed and fluidly rose to his feet.

"Up you go, then," he said as he extended a hand to Raven. She took it after only a second of hesitation, and Robin easily pulled her up and out the door, his hand not leaving hers.

...

"Keep pushing him back!" Cyborg yelled, kneeling in the soggy grass as he welded his arm back onto his shoulder. "Thank god for modern technology," he muttered to himself as he felt the wires connecting themselves at the shoulder joint. He moved the arm around, testing it, before throwing himself back into battle.

Tempest was getting frustrated. These _teenagers_ were getting the best of him! He growled as he hit the ground to dodge yet another green energy ball from the redhead. Rolling to the side, Tempest leapt to his feet and raised his hands to the sky. Collecting a mass of energy from around him, he created a ball of hissing, spitting lightning. Eyes gleaming, he hurled it at the three Titans with all his might.

"Damn," Cyborg said. The three stayed rooted to the spot, and even if they could have coaxed their muscles into moving, they all knew there was no way they could escape the attack. Just as the orb of lightning was about to knock them out like bowling pins, a familiar black energy engulfed it.

"Friend Raven!" Starfire squealed. The lightning did a loop in the air and began hurtling back towards Tempest, still encased in Raven's aura. The attack found its mark and exploded in a show of sparks and flying dirt. Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy turned their heads and saw Robin and Raven standing side-by-side at the top of the hill, capes flying, arms crossed, and matching scowls set deep in their faces.

"Titans, go!" Robin raced down the hill with Raven flying at his side. The pair zoomed past their other teammates, taking the lead to give the others a second to rest. Leaping in front of Raven, Robin took out a bird-a-rang with one hand and grabbed onto Raven with the other. Flying fast at the dazed Tempest, Raven hurled Robin at him.

Tempest shook his head and looked up just in time to see two Robins wielding red swords come flying at him. Taking out his own weapons, Tempest blocked the attack just before it sliced through his face. As the world around him steadied, Tempest brought one sword crashing down on top of Robin's head while the other swiped at his feet.

He met air. As soon as he made a move to annihilate the boy, he disappeared. Looking up, he was met with a steel-toed boot. Tempest stumbled back. He growled and lunged for the nearest Titan, which happened to be the approaching Beast Boy. Quickly morphing into a stegosaurus, Beast Boy dodged Tempest and swung his tail around, hitting Tempest in the chest and sending him back towards the top of the hill and a waiting Cyborg.

A powerful sonic cannon blast crashed into Tempest right before he hit the ground, sending him back into the air again into a stream of starbolts. The force of the attack sent the villain even further back, and the Titans watched as the tip of a black trench coat disappeared over the crest of the hill. Cyborg high-fived Starfire as the Titans raced to the top of the hill. They had him. The arrival of Robin and Raven had breathed new life into the tired three, and their combined power had Tempest, finally, vulnerable.

They gasped at the sight below them. The valley was flooded with at least ten feet of water and debris. Tempest was nowhere to be found and Starfire floated higher in the air, head jerking around as she tried to locate her prey.

"Where'd he go?" Beast Boy wondered aloud, speaking for all of them.

"I don't like this," Robin said. As soon as the last word left his lips, an explosion ripped through the valley. The four with their feet still on the ground fell to their knees as the earth trembled.

"What the hell!" Cyborg yelled over the rumbling. A bright flash of light emitted from the center of the valley above the churning water, and Tempest appeared on a storm cloud.

"Nobody defeats Tempest. Nobody!" he roared. The Titans struggled to find their feet, but the quake was too strong. Raven finally rose off the ground and Robin grabbed her hand on the way up. Starfire took Cyborg by the shoulders and Beast Boy flew into the air next to them as a green eagle. With all Titans mobile once more, they squared their shoulders.

The ground continued to quake beneath the airborne battleground. The sky was black and choked with clouds. Renewed rainfall streamed down their faces; thunder and lightning crashing above the torrential pour. The valley had a small ocean in it now, the agitated waters crashing into the hillsides in white-tipped waves as harsh winds whipped through the air. Tempest stood tall on his black cloud in the middle of the maelstrom, both swords drawn and charged as he waited for the Titans to make the first move.

"Raven," Robin whispered out of the corner of his mouth, praying she could hear him over the wind and rain. He squeezed her hand twice to draw her attention.

'What?' Raven responded telepathically, dropping slightly as she did so. Robin cringed internally, but despite the amount of energy it took for her to communicate like this, they were in desperate need of a plan.

'Give me an energy disk so we can move separately. We're going to attack him first and the others are going to bring up the rear in a v-pattern. Tell the others?' Robin thought. He saw Raven nod shortly and clench her jaw as nearly invisible tendrils of energy floated out to the other three. She nodded again two seconds later. They were ready.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted just as a clap of thunder echoed through the waterlogged glade. Raven tossed him out in front of her onto a waiting circle of black energy. He landed in a crouch and the Titans flew at Tempest.

Raven flew above Robin with Starfire and Cyborg on their right and Beast Boy on the left. Tempest remained still, his face composed as he watched the oncoming assault. Reaching the black cloud, the Titans separated before the villain batted an eye. Raven was above him, Robin below, and the others on either side.

Cyborg's cannon arm was charged and aimed directly at Tempest. Starfire's eyes glowed, as did the hand not holding onto Cyborg. Robin had his explosive discs ready, and as Raven's hands began to glow, Beast Boy let out a screech worthy of Punk Rocket's guitar. The Titan attacks fired off towards Tempest.

Tempest smirked and leapt out of the way to the gap between Raven and Starfire as the green, black, blue, and yellow lights of attack crossed where he had been standing a second ago. Raven caught Tempest in her aura as Robin yelled for them to move.

"Move! Now!" he shouted as the amalgamation of light began to tremble. Bright beams of energy flickered away from the orb. Cyborg and Starfire flew backwards away from the unstable force, Beast Boy close behind. With one hand, Raven moved Robin and his energy disk away from the attack as best she could. With the other, she moved Tempest closer and closer to the shaky union of light.

"How's your arm!" Tempest yelled up at the sorceress, watching as she struggled to focus her power on two things at once. "I think it's some of my finer work!"

Raven bit her tongue to keep a retort from flying across her lips. If her concentration strayed, it would be Robin that would get hurt. She shoved Tempest closer to the ball of light, peeking towards the others to see if they had gotten far enough away yet for her to send him plunging in.

A wave of energy cascaded off the energy ball, sending heat over both Titans and villain. The sudden temperature change broke Raven's bond around Tempest and he dropped fifty feet down to land on a cloud above the dark waters. Raven reached her hand back down towards him, and then the swarm of attacks exploded, sending everyone flying down into the water as the air shuddered.

...

Robin broke the surface first. Gasping for air, he frantically searched the area for his teammates.

"Raven! Cyborg!" he called, choking as a small wave crashed over his head. "Star! Beast Boy!"

He saw Cyborg come up a few yards away, quickly followed by Beast Boy and Starfire. Tempest and Raven were nowhere to be found.

"Raven!" Robin shouted as he treaded water. He yelled her name over and over again and water flooded into his mouth. Coughing, Robin grabbed onto a piece of driftwood and hauled himself up onto it.

"Friends?" Starfire called into the dark. She was hovering above a floating Cyborg who had found a log to hang off of. A green dolphin broke the surface and then Beast Boy dove back underwater, trying to pinpoint Tempest.

"Where is Raven?" Robin shouted as he paddled towards them. Starfire squinted at him before her eyes snapped open.

"We were under the understanding she was with you!" Starfire yelled back, panicked. "Friend Raven! Raven!" Starfire turned in circles, looking for a sign of their missing teammate. Robin felt his heart pounding in his throat as he surveyed the scene. She could be anywhere.

The valley had a half-mile diameter and water was still pouring in. Wood, trees, and other pieces of rubble cluttered the surface and there was no telling what was at the bottom. Small waves crashed against the steep valley walls and small whirlpools were scattered about. Robin briefly wondered if Tempest had intentionally blocked the valley opening to create this hell.

"Raven!" Robin called again. He felt the backs of his eyes begin to burn and the lump in his throat grew. Where was she? He coughed as water ran into his mouth. Thunder crashed overhead and Robin's eyes continued to dart around, looking for something, anything that would lead him to Raven. He never should have let her leave the tower.

"There!" Starfire called to him. Robin looked to where she was pointing and saw the scrap of blue cloth clinging to a small tree a few yards away. Leaping off his float, Robin swam as fast as he could to the tree. The blue cloth was definitely from her cloak. A piece of lavender hair fell from the fabric, and Robin dove beneath the surface.

...

When the attacks had reacted with each other, Raven had been able to see the whole thing from her high vantage point. Tempest had been retreating, the blast catching him just as he was nearing the hills and sending him flying out of the valley. Robin was thrown straight down into the water, and the rest were flung out around him. When the blast had reached her, Raven found herself flying towards the water headfirst, away from where her friends had landed. She hit the water hard, the remnants of her hood catching on a small tree. The force of the blast sent her all the way to the bottom, maybe twelve feet underwater. Pushing off with her feet to get back to the surface, Raven floated a few feet off the ground before she felt herself jerked back down.

The air had been knocked from her lungs upon impact, and now she was fighting the darkness that threatened to close in around her. The hem of her cloak was caught on a stretch of chicken wire embedded in the ground. Ripping the cloak away from the wire had been of no use, and now she fumbled with the clasp on her cloak. Her fingers didn't seem to want to follow her instructions. Oxygen deprivation was making her sluggish, and she could not unhook the simple clasp. Spots were flashing before her eyes, and she coughed as water ran into her mouth. Black began to close in from the corners of her eyes as she choked. She watched the air bubbles float lazily to the top, desperately reaching out to follow them, before she blacked out completely.

...

Robin gasped as his head broke the surface again. The others were scattered around, searching, and he had wandered a bit further from the tree that had initially given him so much hope. Raven was nowhere to be found around it, and despite the short amount of time that had passed between their plunge into the water and now, to Robin it felt like an eon, and he had a sinking feeling Raven was below the surface, drowning in the murk.

"Come on!" he said angrily, shoving down the desperation that tried to claw at his chest. A bunch of air bubbles broke the surface near him. Robin sped over to the spot and dove down into the water again. A struggling Raven met his eyes.

Robin resurfaced and filled his lungs with air before diving back below the surface. Raven's eyes closed and he swam harder, glad the water wasn't as deep as he thought. By the time he reached the sorceress, very few bubbles were coming from her. Her lavender hair fanned out around her face as her hand slipped from the cloak clasp. Robin quickly took the cloak in his hand, and with one strong tug he ripped it free of its chicken wire shackles. Taking a hold of Raven, he pulled them back to the surface.

"I have her!" Robin shouted over and over again, taking deep gulps of air as he struggled to keep his head and Raven's above the water. Beast Boy swooped over to him as a pterodactyl, plucking him from the water as he passed. Robin had one arm securely around Raven's middle, and as Beast Boy lifted them from the water, the sudden pressure around Raven sent water flooding from her mouth as she coughed and gasped. Robin held Beast Boy's claw tighter as Raven shook against him. Starfire and Cyborg came up beneath them, and Robin reluctantly loosened his grip as Cyborg took Raven from him. Her breathing was shallow and her face was paler than usual, but she was alive.

Robin swung his now-free hand up to Beast Boy's other claw, grasping it as the green talons curved around his wrist. Cyborg was cradling Raven to his chest, checking her breathing. The weight of the two barely registered on Starfire's face as she flew next to Beast Boy, her arms under Cyborg's as she supported them. Robin sighed deeply and shakily. They were safe now. The black water disappeared as they flew back over the hill and towards the beaming tower. Tempest was a worthy adversary, and clever, too. He was tough, but he would be defeated. Robin would make sure of it.

…

The skies overhead showed no sign of lightening, and so the world remained as dark as ever. The rain had let up a bit, but the whole city was still sure to be flooded beyond reason by now. Another flash of lightning illuminated the sky. A dark shadow crouching on the ground became visible in that brief moment atop one of the hills. Tempest eyes narrowed as he surveyed the heroes. If only he could have found the energy for one more lightning bolt…

They were stronger than he expected, that was for sure. They had certainly lasted the longest against him out of any opponent he had faced. He may have overstepped his bounds with this group, but it didn't matter. Tempest stood with a sigh, looking down at the hilts of the two swords at his waist. The gold designs glowed, and he knew this was not his doing. There was a power coming for him, coming for these weapons he claimed as his own when in fact they were not. If he were honest with himself, he would know this assault on the Titans was a suicide mission from the start. But he would be remembered. Somehow, someway, he would be remembered for his power.

Another flash of lightning, and he vanished into the rocks. Across the bay, the shadows of the weary, soaking Titans arrived at their beacon of light. There was no victory in today.

* * *

Finally, a longer chapter! There will be MUCH more on Tempest and his backstory in the new chapters. I think it's pretty interesting and will turn out well =)

Cheers!


	6. Land of Shadows

**Chapter 6: Land of Shadows**

Alright, here we go! The last chapter I wrote for this story on my first attempt! After this, all chapters will be brand spankin' new. If you're just now tuning in, I recommend you go back and reread the first few chapters since I've done a big overhaul on them. Not just edits, but general plot points have been changed. You might be a leetle confused in future chapters if you haven't read the updated beginning!

Many thanks to all of those who have reviewed this story so far and who have returned to it after all these years!

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Cyborg's feet hit the soggy ground first as the Titans landed on in front of the tower. Only a small stripe around the base of the building wasn't underwater. Robin landed next to him, and Beast Boy fluttered to the ground before morphing back into his human self. Starfire hovered above them all.

"Well, what now?" Beast Boy said as Cyborg knelt down to lay a sleeping Raven on the grass. The rain was more of a light shower than a deluge now, and the Titans felt no immediate urge to go inside. The dismal evening matched their mood too well. Robin joined Cyborg on the ground, arranging himself so that Raven's head rested in his lap and not in the mud. Not that it mattered much. They were all dirty and soaked through.

"Well?" Beast Boy said again, breaking the silence with an uncharacteristically solemn voice. "The Tempest dude is gone, it's still raining, the city is more flooded than Atlantis, and we're wetter than fish." The others stared at their resident lighthearted friend with disbelief. Mistaking their expressions for confusion, Beast Boy continued.

"I should know. I've been one," he said, wringing out the front of his shirt. Robin blinked a few times. "Well I _have_!" Beast Boy insisted. Robin shook himself out of his daze, water droplets flying from his black hair.

"Well, I guess the best thing to do now would be to go inside," Robin said thoughtfully. "We can dry off, eat, sleep, and decide what to do in the morning."

Starfire yawned. "Yes, friends, I am most tired. The day has been quite exhausting and long." She yawned again, finally touching back down on the ground to put a comforting hand on Cyborg and Beast Boy's shoulders. Beast Boy nodded in agreement, but Robin had refocused his attention on the girl in his lap. Cyborg glanced at his friend.

'More exhausting for some than others,' Cyborg thought. He had taken note of the looks Robin had been giving Raven the whole day, and now was no different. His furrowed brow, the tiny scowl on his face, the concern etched in the clench of his jaw. It was no secret their leader held strong feelings for the empath, and Cyborg knew Robin was feeling a world of guilt right now for letting her back into battle. Robin took a long breath and exhaled slowly.

"Robin?" Cyborg ventured. He looked up at the metal man. "What is it?"

"I don't get it," Robin said after a minute. "Tempest just left! He had us all in a vulnerable position, and he disappeared." Anger was creeping into Robin's already frustrated voice. "He could have killed us with one lightning strike, but he didn't. He seemed so bent on defeating us, and when we're finally in a weak position, he just isn't there! I just don't get it." Robin was flustered and his cheeks were tinged red. He sighed again.

"Who knows, man," Cyborg murmured, standing up and wiping the mud off his knee.

"We should get inside. We're all tired and Raven should get back to the med lab," Robin deadpanned. He stood and tenderly gathered Raven in his arms. With a backwards glance towards the others, he led their dripping group through the doors and into the warmth of the tower. Shoes squeaked against the tile and they left a trail of puddles behind them, but nobody cared. Cyborg watched Robin carefully. To the others, it seemed like he was letting the matter of Tempest rest for the moment, but Cyborg knew better.

The young hero didn't like it when he didn't know what was going on in his enemies' minds. Usually it was a simple matter, like the HIVE's penchant for pretty things or Cinderblock's enjoyment of smashing things. But then there was the ever-enigmatic Slade, and now Tempest. This new villain hadn't even gone into the city proper, choosing instead to stand above it and wreck havoc on Jump's citizens while taunting the Titans. It reeked of ulterior motives, and for the boy who took pride as the sharpest detective on the West coast and who could quickly recognize thought and action patterns in villains, not knowing what Tempest's motivation was would frustrate him to no end. It seemed Tempest was like Slade in that manner: a mind he couldn't see, a plan he couldn't penetrate. Tempest's decision to not kill them when it seemed he so easily could have was only part of the problem. There was no way of knowing what he would do next. Their only clue was his offhanded remark to Raven about her arm right before their attack orb exploded.

Cyborg shook himself from his thoughts as the elevator door slid open.

"We're all making a pit stop in the med lab, y'all," Cyborg said as they exited. "Everyone pick up some extra blankets and vitamin C. Nobody's getting sick."

"That stuff doesn't even work, dude," Beast Boy grumbled.

"But the little packets fizz so wonderfully when you add them to water!" Starfire said brightly. "I do call 'dibs' on the ducky blanket, too."

The doors hissed open and Robin set Raven down on one of the beds that were still upright. Near the window, the one she had rested on earlier was overturned from their scare with Cyborg. Sighing, Robin unclasped her cloak and set it to dry on a chair.

"Raven?" he heard Beast Boy whisper behind him. Whipping around, Robin looked down at her. Raven was twitching and mumbling incoherently.

"What is going on?" Starfire said, her voice laced with worry. Their leader immediately hushed her, a scared expression creeping onto his face.

"Robin?" Cyborg risked. When the boy did not respond, Cyborg followed his gaze to Raven's left wrist where her skin had not yet healed. For the first time, Cyborg noticed the word 'Tempest' engraved in her arm below the ripped fabric of the leotard.

"When did that happen?" Cyborg roared. Robin made no reply. The enraged metal man was about to say more, but the letters started to fade from Raven's arm and something else started to twist its way onto her skin. Her arm twitched in pain, hand curled into a tight fist, and suddenly her arm lashed out and hit the metal guardrail of the bed with a painful clang.

…

Raven was wandering through a dark, lush jungle, pushing her way through the dense undergrowth of thorns. The feeling of eyes on the back of her head was overwhelming, and Raven constantly glanced over her shoulder. A few times she imagined she saw a shadow ducking behind a tree, but she credited it to the dancing shadows playing in the moonlight. Where was she?

The unmistakable sound of a twig snapping heightened Raven's senses. She spun around, facing the direction of the sound, heart pumping and adrenaline rushing. Branches rustled in the wind and an eerie quiet settled over the landscape. No birds chirped, no animals sounded. The only noise was the terrified thumping of her heart. Raven's eyes searched the still shadows for a clue, but none came. She lifted her hands, focusing on her magic, but the comforting black glow of power did not come to her. A sudden, almost invisible movement caught her eye.

Raven immediately crouched down in the thicket, muscles tensed as her piercing amethyst eyes honed in on the tree where she saw something. Her eyes narrowed, the feeling of being watched once again surfacing. A slight rustle cut through the tangible silence that shrouded the trees, and she whirled around. Just a few feet in front of her, watching with black eyes, was a small monkey.

Raven's shoulders sagged as she watched the curious creature stare at her in confusion. It chittered at her before climbing back up a tree. Sighing loudly, Raven turned to continue her search for answers, or for an exit. She made it one step forward.

A tall black shadow stood less than five yards away. All breath left Raven's lungs as she stared into the hard silver eyes of the figure. They stony orbs glinted in a familiar way, and as Raven took one step back, the figure took one step forward. A dark hand materialized and separated itself from the dark shape and reached behind itself for something. Raven never found out what; she was already running.

Trees surrounded her as Raven entered a flat out sprint. She weaved her way through the dense jungle, whipping around trees and leaping over bushes as she desperately tried to find a way out. Her foot suddenly caught on a root and Raven skidded to a stop as she crashed headfirst into a tree. Stars danced in front of her eyes as she shakily stood and leaned against the rough bark, breath ragged in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to fly, standing on her tiptoes and holding her breath. Sounds of footsteps broke her concentration and she pushed off the tree, once again hurtling through the trees. A light appeared.

Through the bleak black and green of the jungle, a small patch of light shone off to Raven's right. She slid to a halt and turned sharply towards the opening in the trees, pressing on towards the growing beacon. Her breath came in short gasps as she ran faster. She could not sense a presence around her, but Raven dared not slow down. Her powers had only failed her since her arrival in this mysterious place.

Skating to a stop, Raven looked up the jagged rock face in front of her. The light had just been a ray of moonlight reflection off the tall, light grey cliff. Taking a backwards glance to the black abyss behind her, Raven decided her best bet was up.

She clambered onto a ledge about eleven feet off the ground, the first resting spot she could find. The cliff was a high one, and a difficult climb. The rock went straight up, an occasional rock shelf disrupting the face of sparse vegetation and sharp edges. Raven's spot protruded about three feet from the face. Taking a last look down at the hole in the tree line from where she had come, Raven locked eyes with the dark figure. A chill ran through her as she stared at it, unable to tear her eyes away from the silver glare. The shadow broke the stare first, trailing a look to the top of the cliff before disappearing into the shadows again.

Raven sighed in relief. Turning once more to the task before her, she began her ascent towards the starry sky.

…

"She won't wake up," Robin grunted as one of Raven's arms once again came very close to socking him in the face. She was sweating and felt cold to the touch, and the mumbling hadn't stopped. Suddenly, her movements ceased, and she lay still on the bed, panting. Robin wiped his brow and looked to Cyborg for answers. The taller boy was holding the restraint belts with trepidation in his eyes. He looked up to meet Robin's gaze.

"No," came a quiet voice. Robin and Cyborg looked over to see Starfire rise from her chair. "We will not restrain our friend. Something is happening to her, inside her mind, yes, but I do not think I could bear the sight." Starfire stood next to Robin and placed a gentle hand on Raven's head, brushing hair from her face. Robin nodded his agreement.

"You're right, Star," he whispered. Cyborg looked relieved as he dropped the belts back into their drawer.

"I just wish she would wake up," Beast Boy said. He was sitting on the floor, back against the wall by the doors, facing the others. "She's not healing herself or anything. Something weird is going on." Robin clenched his jaw, but to his credit, he did not say anything about Beast Boy's remarkable ability to point out the obvious.

"Cyborg?" Robin said, holding out a hand. Cyborg handed him a clean cloth and Robin pressed it to Raven's arm. The new message from Tempest stretched down the length of Raven's arm, but they had decided to leave it uncovered in case something else appeared, opting instead to just wipe the blood away as it came. The bleeding was slowing by now, anyways. The words 'Goodnight Titans' peeked out from beneath the cloth. The Titans were quiet for a few minutes, listening to the steady sounds of their own breathing and taking what little comfort they could in Raven's temporary peace.

"Robin," Beast Boy said suddenly, "where is the password to the research database?"

"Under the keyboard," Robin responded. "Why?" Beast Boy stood up, determination in his stance.

"Someone has to know something about this dude," the green boy said. "I'll be at the computer."

"I will assist," Starfire said. "There is something very familiar about this Tempest, like bell ringing as you say. I wish to do some research on my thoughts as well."

"Let us know if you find anything," Cyborg said, sitting in the chair Starfire had vacated. The two nodded and exited the room.

"How are you holding up?" Cyborg asked Robin quietly. Raven was beginning to gasp again.

"I should have left her here," Robin said predictably. Cyborg was ready, though.

"If Raven had stayed here, we'd be a pack of scorched bones," Cyborg responded, referring to the lightning ball Tempest had fired off at him, Beast Boy, and Starfire earlier.

"Still," Robin said. "She shouldn't have mixed with Tempest again so soon. He did something to her, Cy, I know it. The words that keep appearing, the fact that she can't wake up… I hope Starfire and Beast Boy figure out what else there is to this guy's power, and fast."

"Me, too," Cyborg said, watching as Robin held one of Raven's hands in his own. The twitching was starting again, her breath coming in short bursts once more.

"Fight it, Raven," Robin whispered. A short cry wrenched itself from Raven's lips, and with a gasp, her breathing stopped.

…

Raven was halfway up the face of the cliff when she slipped.

A light rain had begun to fall and the rock became more and more slippery as she climbed. It was getting harder to find hand holds in the rock and the ledges were fewer and farther apart. Raven was almost to the ledge that marked halfway. The rock was smooth here between her and that ledge. No handholds were available and the only visible plants were out of reach. Raven gritted her teeth and stretched up as far as she could. Her fingertips came closer and closer to the shelf.

"Little more…" Raven murmured to herself. She swiped at the rock, missing it by mere centimeters. Moaning in desperation, Raven tried again only to get the same result. She let out a frustrated sigh and looked down.

She immediately regretted it.

Seventy feet below her, the jungle was a sea of darkness and danger. The closest ledge below her was one of the bigger ones, maybe six feet wide, but probably ten feet down. Raven swallowed hard and looked back up.

She drew a deep breath and adjusted her feet, trying to calm herself before putting her plan into action. Taking another breath, she jumped. Reaching, Raven grabbed the lip of the rock with her right hand and hung there. She felt her hand start to slide off the slick rock and quickly brought her other hand up, scrambling to find purchase on it. Panicking, she clawed at the unforgiving surface. Her hand brushed against a vine of some sorts and she grabbed it, trying to haul her upper body onto the ledge. She pulled on the vine and it came with her, seemingly unattached. Raven let it go and grabbed at the rock again, getting her left elbow up onto the ledge, but then it slid back off and suddenly she was dangling by the fingertips of her right hand. Biting back the urge to scream, she swung her left hand back up to try and grab onto something, but all she met was air, and then her right hand gave out.

Wind whipped past her face as she tumbled ten feet down to the ledge below. Raven tried to land on her feet, but her knees buckled from exhaustion and she rolled towards the edge.

Raven threw out an arm in an attempt to stop her momentum. The rolling stopped and she opened her eyes to find she had managed to stop right before the ledge gave way to a long free fall into certain death. She took a deep breath and rolled back onto her stomach. Dizzily standing, Raven looked back up at the mocking cliff. But she was firm in her goal to get up there before morning broke. Stepping to the wall, she once again set off.

Same shelf, same dilemma, but this time, Raven thought she found an easier solution. The vine she had grabbed earlier was attached to the rock, after all. It dangled over the upper shelf and Raven easily reached it and pulled, hard. It held fast. Before she had any second thoughts, Raven entrusted her life to the puny piece of vegetation and finally hauled herself up and onto the shelf.

The moon was beginning to set when Raven finally dragged her weary body up onto the grass at the top of the cliff. Lying on her back, her chest heaved as her lungs screamed for oxygen. Her arms and legs trembled and she wanted nothing more than to sleep, but as soon as her eyes closed, the eerie silver glare of what she had taken to calling the Thing caused her eyelids to shoot back open. Raven rolled onto her stomach, watching angrily as a tear dripped off the tip of her nose into the grass.

She was lost, tired, and scared. There was nothing more to it, and the sooner she admitted that to herself, the sooner she could get on with it and figure a way out of this place. There was a gaping hole in her memory of how she got to this place, something that scared her even more than the Thing or the cliff. She wished her friends were here; she wished Robin were here. Raven shook herself mentally. Now was not the time to be a stupid damsel in distress. She didn't _do _damsel. She could figure this out herself. The first rays of sunlight crept out from behind the trees, and Raven pulled herself to her feet and began walking.

Her walk was a short one. The grassy stretch she was on quickly entered the trees, and shortly thereafter, the solid ground ended at a swift river. The waters were dark, and trees and other things flew down the waterway at breakneck speeds. A thick tree trunk lay across the river a few yards upstream. Raven frowned and looked to either side of her, peering down the river. If she had to guess, the only way to continue her journey was to go across. Quickly crossing the distance to the log, Raven threw caution to the winds and clambered onto the makeshift bridge.

The tree rolled a bit on her first step, but it soon settled, the branches and roots at either end steadying it. Raven slowly crept across, picking her way around dead branches and holes in the bark. The river boiled beneath her, angry waters churning. Glancing upstream, Raven stopped dead. A huge log was rumbling down the river straight towards her and her bridge. Her muscles were frozen.

The log slammed into the bridge, and for a moment, it seemed like the thick tree would hold its position. Raven's teeth ceased their rattling and she lifted her head from where she was lying facedown, clinging to the tree. That's when it started tipping.

The tree began to roll down the stream as the log pressed against it, and Raven was thrown from the bark into the freezing rapids. She slammed into rocks and other river clutter, trying to keep her feet out in front of her and her head above the water. She felt her shin scrape against a rock as she entered a short downhill rapid, and she flew over the small fall. Coming up sputtering, she gasped for air as she realized the water had calmed significantly. It still moved quickly, but the surface was smooth, void of rocks and rapids. Raven took the chance to gulp down oxygen and cough up water.

Thunder echoed around her, but the sky was clear. A dense fog approached from downstream, and as Raven grew closer to the fog, the river picked up speed and the thunder grew louder.

"Shit," she mumbled as she realized where she was headed. She began paddling frantically towards the bank, but suddenly the fog was all around her and then she was falling through the air.

The pounding of water on water drowned out the sound of her screaming, and soon she hit the water feet first. The moving river immediately whisked her away from the bottom of the falls, and Raven struggled to keep her head above the frothing water as she felt a fierce wind whip past her face. The water threw her over another, smaller edge, and then she was floating quietly in a calm pool of still black water.

Ripples broke the mirror surface of the pool as Raven silently swam towards the edge of the water where the black lightened to a murky blue. Soft sand rose beneath her feet, and she first walked, then crawled through the gradually lightning water to a shore of soft white and lush green. Water poured over her lips as she coughed, air not coming quickly enough. Reaching the edge, she pulled herself onto the sand and collapsed. Around her, tall sentries of leaves and wood blocked out the morning sun as her bruised body shivered in the shadows.

…

Robin and Cyborg watched as Raven gasped for air. She would take deep breaths and then choke, as if she were drowning. After about a minute, to Robin an eternity, the worried horror ended and Raven's breath slowed to deep, gentle breathing. Silently, Robin wondered if it would stay like that this time.

"He's controlling her dreams or something," Cyborg said, watching thoughtfully as Raven's struggles slowed along with her breathing and her face relaxed.

"Or he sent her someplace," Robin responded, thinking aloud as well. "Think the others will find anything?" Cyborg shrugged.

"Beast Boy is actually pretty good with computers, but in this case, I'm banking on Star finding something," Cyborg said. "This guy has magic up his sleeve, and she's really the only one besides Raven who knows anything about anyone who isn't from Earth."

Robin brushed a strand of damp lavender hair from Raven's face with a sigh. She looked so… exhausted. He felt her hand tremble beneath his, muscles quietly shaking. Somehow, he knew it wasn't just dreams that Tempest was controlling right now, like Cyborg thought. She was somewhere else, fighting something back, or running from it. And she was so tired. Robin studied her face, took in the deep circles that had developed beneath her eyes over the past few hours. If only he could help her.

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From here on out, all chapters will be NEW! Which means it will take me much longer to write them, but I'm excited for what I have planned! leave a review on your way out, please? =)


	7. Sweet Dreams

**Chapter 7: Sweet Dreams**

Oh goodness, new things! I love new things! So begins the second half of this story arc. There should be 8 or so more chapters after this (yikes). Let's hope it goes smoothly, shall we?

Huge thanks to valenciabelieves for dropping me such a wonderful review!

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Someone was saying her name. Raven lifted her head from the sand, squinting. The sun was now directly overhead, rays glaring off the white ground. She guessed it must be around noon, which meant she had been asleep for how many hours? Four? Three? There was no telling with this place. Raven groaned as she struggled to a sitting position. She blinked a few times, making sure she really was still in this mysterious hell. Truthfully, Raven had hoped she would wake up and find herself back home. She sighed and stumbled to the water's edge to splash her face. Her muscles still trembled with exhaustion, and as she sipped the cool water, her stomach clenched with hunger. Raven looked behind her to the line of trees leading back into the forest. There had to be an easier way out.

…

"We need to get an IV line in her," Cyborg said as he studied the panel behind the hospital bed. "If you're right about her being somewhere else, then we can safely assume she's exerted herself past the point of exhaustion."

"She was exhausted before we even got to the hill," Robin pointed out as he gathered the necessary supplies and handed them over to Cyborg.

"This is bad," Cyborg muttered to himself. "It's only midnight. Not enough time has passed since we got home for her to be in such bad shape." Cyborg looked up from his scan of Raven. Robin looked thoughtful.

"Maybe time works differently where she is right now. Accelerated or something. I don't think I've seen her muscles relax for more than a minute or so since we've been here," Robin said as he studied Raven's tense body. The constant twitching had stopped for maybe five minutes at one point, but other than that, there had been some sort of constant motion. "A whole day could have passed where she is."

"A day would make sense," Cyborg said as he cut away at the right sleeve of Raven's leotard. He cleaned her inner elbow with an alcohol swipe and was about to insert the needle when she twitched suddenly. Cyborg reacted immediately, jerking the needle back away from her.

"I don't know if this is going to work," Cyborg said. "I don't want her hurting herself by yanking this thing around if we get it into her arm."

Robin sighed and ran a hand down his face. "You're right. God, we need to get her to wake up soon."

"I'm going to go see what Star and BB have. Be right back," Cyborg said as he stood up. Robin gave him a half-wave as he left the room.

"Hear that, Rae?" Robin said, sitting down next to her and taking her hand in his once again. Her fingers wrapped around his automatically, clinging to him as her foot kicked out.

"You need to wake up, Raven," Robin pleaded. He covered the hand he was holding with his other hand, gripping tightly to her as if she could feel the pressure from wherever she was. "If something happens to you…" Robin's voice faded as he thought about the unthinkable. If they couldn't get her back, if she never woke up, if she died in this other world. Robin took a shaky breath and gritted his teeth. They would get her back.

"I need you," he whispered. The door slid open behind him and he raised his head, not bothering to let go of Raven's hand. If there were any chance he could get through to her, he would take it.

"I believe we might have something," Starfire said. "Beast Boy found it."

"Well, Star helped," Beast Boy said as he looked at the piece of paper in his hands. Cyborg clapped him on the back with a grin. "Okay, so, I was thinking, you know how Tempest never actually went into the city? Well, it probably wasn't the police or the fire department that called in about him. They were so busy dealing with what looked like a freakazoid storm, so I don't think they would have noticed a dude up on a hill with everything happening."

Robin nodded slowly, following Beast Boy's logic. The green boy handed Cyborg the paper before continuing.

"So I looked into the dispatch logs to see exactly how we got that call to go get him. I mean, someone had to have _known_ something about him, right?" Beast Boy was getting more excited as he went on. "Turns out some kid noticed him while they were out on the streets in the rain, and his mom knows who Tempest is! Starfire called her while I checked on anything else that might have come up, and she talked to the lady."

"Yes, she was most helpful," Starfire said. "She said she knew him when she was younger, out in a state called Indiana, yes?" Beast Boy nodded in confirmation and Starfire continued. "He was a youth when she lived there, and when he was a child, he was struck by lightning and then began to act most strange. His parents sent him away, and when he returned, he was the evil Tempest we have fought."

"Apparently he used to have a different name, but the lady didn't remember," Beast Boy added. "Something with a C?"

"Oh my goodness!" Starfire suddenly exclaimed. "Oh glorbnax I am the most stupid! I think I know who he is! I will return." And with that, she shot out of the room.

…

Raven slumped against a tree trunk and slid to the ground, unable to take another step forward. She had followed the small stream out of the pool for a few miles, but there was nothing but trees and sun as far as her eyes could see. At her back, the giant waterfall rose out of the forest, but she had no desire to go back there. The looming threat of the Thing hung heavy in her mind, and while she had yet to encounter it again, that didn't mean it wasn't close behind. Although, the further she walked, the less she really cared.

"Pointless," she muttered, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. The only upside to this place was that her emotions seemed to have kept themselves quiet. Fear wasn't rearing its ugly head, Anger hadn't made a peep, and most curious of all, the newest addition to the ranks hadn't said a word. Raven sat up quickly, ignoring the spinning in her head. Love hadn't said a single word. The new emotion's arrival had caused quite a stir in Nevermore, and she also was quite vocal as new emotions tend to be, especially when Robin was on Raven's mind. Since arriving in this mysterious place, Raven didn't deny there had been many an occasion where she thought of her masked leader. Yet there was no sign of her wordy emotion. That was enough to cause alarm.

Raven quickly arranged herself in the lotus position and began her chant silently. Normally, it only took a few minutes for the world to fall away from her. And this was such a quiet, peaceful place at the moment, perfect for meditation. Raven concentrated, but her focus could not move beyond the dirt beneath her legs or the backs of her eyelids. She could not enter Nevermore.

She felt panic begin to rise in her chest once more at this new revelation. Her powers weren't working, Nevermore was out of reach, and she was as alone as she'd ever been. Not to mention the hunger rumbling in her stomach; it was almost nauseating. Raven clenched her hands into fists and pressed them against her eyes, forcing herself to calm down and take deep breaths. How had she arrived at this place?

"Think, Raven, think," she demanded. Flashes of the HIVE crossed her mind, but she knew Jinx was not this powerful. No, there was someone else. She thought back to the Thing. It's eyes were so familiar, their silver glare burned in her mind. Something about storms, rain, lightning perhaps? She hadn't even thought about this earlier; she was so trapped in survival mode. Not that she was doing so well with that, Raven thought bitterly. She took another deep breath and opened her eyes, studying her hands as if they held a clue. Again, she found herself wishing Robin were here. Raven was excellent at puzzles, but he was better at mysteries. And this was a mystery she needed to solve, fast.

At least her clothes were dry, she thought to herself. A sudden flash of memory came to her: storming rains, swords, mud. She sat very still, willing the film reel to continue in her mind, but it was gone. Looking over herself, Raven frowned. Shouldn't her uniform be ripped? Yes, she had a distinct memory of the thing being torn. She reached a hand back and found the hood of her cape was also still in perfect condition. Could this be a dream? But that didn't explain why she couldn't access Nevermore or her powers, so it could not be _her_ dream, if it was a dream at all.

The clue was in those silver eyes. Their stare would not leave her mind. Raven chewed on her lip, deep in thought. The eyes, her powers, the leotard. She knew the left arm had been ripped up to her elbow. Studying the fabric, Raven weighed a decision in her mind. Would it make it better or worse if she ripped it herself? It was hot out anyways, she decided. And something deep within her was telling her this was the right decision.

"Well, that went well," she deadpanned to herself. Two sharp rocks and several attempts with her teeth had left her with no progress. She forgot how hard it was to tear that fabric. Raven sighed and chose instead to just roll both her sleeves up. It really _was _getting quite warm. First, she rolled the fabric of her right sleeve up to her elbow. As her fingers touched the left sleeve, a quiver of anticipation ran through her, and she had no idea why. Slowly, she folded the fabric back. Once, twice, and on the third time, something peeked out that should not be there. There were markings on her skin.

Abandoning the careful roll she had started with, Raven shoved the fabric up to her elbow. Memories flooded back in crashes of lightning as she stared at the lightning bolt and words on her arm. Tempest. A crack of thunder rolled across the clear sky, and she shouted out as her arm began to burn and the words twisted around themselves, creating a new message.

…

"It's happening again!" Robin yelled. Cyborg and Beast Boy rushed to him and Raven, watching with reluctant fascination as "Goodnight Titans" twisted around into "Sweet dreams." Raven shouted in her sleep, arm once again lashing out and banging into the metal guardrail of the bed. Robin grimaced. She already had an impressive bruise on her wrist from the last time that happened.

"I wonder how much that hurts," Beast Boy said quietly. Cyborg simply shook his head.

"We have to get her out of there," Robin said. "Do we have any idea where Tempest even is?"

"I didn't have any luck with that," said Beast Boy. "Sorry." The changeling hung his head, eyes locked on Raven's pale face. She was like his sister, and when he had the chance to help, the chance to find something on Tempest, he fell short. He always fell short. Sure, he had found something, but right now that just wasn't enough. Robin noticed the forlorn look on Beast Boy's face.

"At least you found something," Robin responded. "It's the best thing we've got right now."

"Yeah," Cyborg agreed. "I couldn't pick anything up while we were in that area, anyway. Wherever he's hiding out, it's well hidden." Beast Boy nodded firmly, his spirits a bit higher.

"And Starfire might find something that will help us," the green boy said, some of his usual cheer back in his tone.

…

Tempest studied his inscriptions on the wall with great care. The girl with lavender hair had figured it out. He could feel her mind pulsate with answers, and he knew it was only a matter of time until she escaped. Rising from the ground, Tempest knocked his makeshift table over with a roar.

"Azarathian," he growled. Tempest looked down at the shattered coffee cup and twisted table leg and sighed. Grumbling, he knelt down to clean it up. He only had himself to be angry with, really. If he had actually done his research, he would have known the girl was an Azarathian and would have known she had magic to rival his. Curse his impatience. If only he had gotten a good look at her on the roof, he might have noticed the gem on her forehead. He could have waited for one of the humans and cast his piece of magic over one of them instead. But no, he had leapt at the first chance he saw.

One of the swords fell over in the corner, the hilt humming with energy. Tempest regarded it with a solemn look. They were coming. His spell had alerted them to his presence on earth, as he knew it would, but it had happened faster than expected. He blamed the Azarathian. Her own powers were undoubtedly magnifying the presence of the spell, and they were quite attuned to the magics of Azarath. At that thought, a smile curled across Tempest's face. He might have the last laugh after all. But never mind that.

Tempest returned to his spot on the floor and gracefully sank onto the stone. Picking up his piece of chalk, he prepared one last message to send to her, though this time, he had a different messenger in mind.

* * *

Don't worry, all questions will eventually be answered! There are many more chapters to be written. I'm surprised I did this one all today, actually... I should probably edit it more, but I'm just eager to get these posted, so here ya go! Review review review!


	8. Where Do Answers Lie

**Chapter 8: Where Do Answers Lie**

And here we are with chapter 8! Thanks to the few who have left a review; they mean a lot to me! This chapter might be on the shorter side by the looks of my story arc notes, but then chapter 9 should be lots longer.

On with the story!

* * *

Raven pulled her arm out of the cool water, her teeth gritted as she waited for the pain to subside. The words still burned, though not as intensely as before. She sighed and shuffled back to her tree. She was so tired, so hungry, so dejected. With the words "sweet dreams" now etched in her skin, she was only more confused as to her location. Her previous realizations indicated she was not grounded in reality anymore. She was in some sort of dream, but seeing as she had no access to Nevermore, she knew it was not her dream. Raven sighed again and pinched herself, just in case. Nothing but a twinge of pain.

"Sweet dreams," she murmured to herself, studying the script. Tempest's dream, perhaps? But he would not be asleep for so long. Unless, of course, time worked differently in this world. Raven closed her eyes and let her head fall against the tree behind her. Did the others know where she was?

The sound of rustling leaves sent Raven flying up from her sitting position and into battle stance. Her back faced the water and she felt her heart sink as a shadow pushed through the tree line into the sun; it was not a monkey. The toothy grin and piercing silver eyes of the Thing greeted her. Raven tensed, but it did not attack. It merely watched her with narrowed eyes and a smirk. She was cornered, and it knew it. Swallowing hard, Raven noticed for the first time that the Thing now had a length of rope looped around its neck. It almost looked like a noose.

"Who are you?" she questioned, pleased to note she sounded much braver than she felt. "Rather, _what_ are you?"

The Thing said nothing, as she expected it would. It took a step closer, and she saw the shadow take some sort of shape for the first time. It was a great, hulking thing, like someone had taken the body of a buffalo and given it the posture of an ape of some sorts. But its legs were decidedly wolf-like, though much bulkier to match the body's proportions. Raven briefly wondered if it could swim, or perhaps morph into something that could. She remembered the hand-like appendage it had produced in their first encounter.

"Are you Tempest?" she asked, not relaxing her stance. A throaty chuckle bubbled out of the shadow and it took another step forward, the rope swinging off its back. It _was _a noose. A set of claws sprung out of its front left leg, and Raven watched as it dragged its hand across the sand in front of her, that eerie hyena laugh quietly mixing with the scratching of the ground. Chills quivered against Raven's spine.

_How's your arm_, the ground read. She narrowed her eyes at the Thing, badly wishing she had her powers so she could wipe the smug look off the Thing's face.

"Peachy," she spat back. "Now where am I?"

_Ah, so you haven't figured it out yet,_ the sand now read. A memory flashed through Raven's mind: Mumbo's hat. She had no powers then, either.

"I'm in Tempest's mind," she said, clarity finally settling over her. The Thing swiped at the message in the sand, suddenly angry. Raven smirked and rose out of her battle stance, choosing instead to stand at ease with her arms crossed.

_I can still kill you here_, the sand said. Raven frowned but remained still. She would not give the Thing, or Tempest for that matter, the satisfaction of her fear.

"And I, you," she deadpanned. The Thing smirked. "You've already done half the work for me with your little noose." It swiped at the sand again.

_Even in our minds, some things are out of our control_.

"Don't I know it," Raven muttered under her breath. She could have sworn the figure chuckled.

"Now that we've established this is not a dream, would you mind doing something about this?" she said, gesturing towards the marks on her arm. The Thing shrugged and its shadow shape flickered. Another thunder roll echoed through the trees, though the skies were still clear. Raven clenched her teeth and waited for the pain that would follow.

She felt her skin burn and twist, but she showed no pain on her face. Raven prayed the Thing could not see her fingernails digging into her upper arms as the message faded away from her inner arm, leaving only a lightning bolt on the pale flesh of her wrist.

"Good boy," she quipped through gritted teeth. "Now tell me how to get out of here." She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. The Thing growled and a shadow claw shot out towards her, whipping across her face. The force of the blow sent her spinning, and Raven fell on all fours on the ground. She lifted a hand to her cheek and it came away shiny and red with her blood. Her face was calm as she looked up into the eyes of the Thing, now right in front of her. It kept its eyes locked on hers as it dragged the same claw across the ground in between them.

_It would do you well to remember your place_.

Raven frowned as she read the message, and her eye caught the end of the dangling rope. She lunged forward, grabbing for it to pull the noose taught, but she gasped in surprise as her hands went clean through it as if it were nothing more than shadow. The Thing casually knocked her back towards the tree she had sat against earlier, and her breath flew from her lungs as her spine connected with the trunk.

_Like I said_, it wrote, _even in our minds some things are out of our control._

"Who are you," she gasped out. Nothing was as it seemed.

_A legend, _it wrote.

"Then why can't you escape," she shot back, referring to the ghostly noose. Her impertinence was a gamble, but there was curiosity fueling her barb, too, and the Thing sensed it. It was rather enjoying this time with the young sorceress.

_Aren't we all just trying to escape something?_ And with that last message in the sand, the Thing stepped backwards into the water and faded away, leaving Raven with a bloody cheek and more questions than before.

…

Tempest rose from the floor and stretched, grinning in satisfaction as his shoulders and back popped. He was done playing with the girl. Besides, he could feel the hold on her weakening, and the chalk circle around his markings was fading. She would find her way out soon. Of course, this was not ideal, but if his calculations were correct, he should have enough time for another assault on the city while the Titans' numbers were down. And who knew how much time he had left before all hell really broke loose on his head? Tempest smirked as he shook out his trench coat and threw it over his shoulders. If he could draw the Titans into _that_, then he would really go down in history as a legend.

…

"Well, at least nothing new popped up this time," Beast Boy said sullenly as the three boys watched Tempest's latest message fade from Raven's wrist. This time, Robin grabbed onto her hand as soon as they saw the words twist around themselves. The top of her hand and wrist were a nasty purple and blue from Raven slamming her arm against the bed earlier. Despite the precaution, Robin only felt her arm twitch beneath his as the words disappeared. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, though, leaving little red crescents as her hands relaxed again when the words were gone.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing," Robin said. He turned to face the others, all of them now sitting in chairs in a cluster around the side of the hospital bed.

"Things we know," Robin began. "One: Tempest knows some sort of magic and he's keeping Raven somewhere we can't reach, and so she won't wake up. Two: that magic gives him control over what's happening where she is. Three: it is somehow connected to this mark on her wrist."

"The way the outline thingy glows is kinda like his swords," Beast Boy piped up.

"Alright, so the magic is somehow connected to his weapons. Cyborg, have you noticed anything wrong with your shoulder since you got hit?" Robin asked, turning to the half-metal man. Cyborg shook his head.

"Systems are all fine and there haven't been any problems. He must need time to use any magic beyond his basic weather powers," Cyborg mused.

"That makes sense. He had all the time in the world on the roof," Robin said, gritting his teeth as the flood of guilt once again crashed over his heart. Cyborg looked like he was about to say something, but Robin felt Raven's fist jerk from where it still rested beneath his hand. The three directed their attention to their friend, watching in horror as her head whipped to one side. She turned back towards them and Robin leapt up. Three lines stretched across her cheek, blood leaking from them.

"Dammit!" Beast Boy groaned, slamming his fists into his knees in frustration. "I hate this guy! I really freakin' hate this guy!" The green boy watched as Cyborg and Robin quickly wiped the fresh blood away and pressed a series of thin bandages across each cut.

"Four: he can still hurt her wherever he has her," Robin growled. Cyborg glanced out the window to the rain; it had slowed to a drizzle.

"Weather's changing," he said. No sooner had the words crossed his lips than a bolt of lightning cut through the sky. Raven flinched simultaneously.

"Friends!" Starfire's voice came from down the hallway. "Friends I have found it!" She burst into the room, a thick book clutched to her chest. "Oh no! What has happened to friend Raven's face?" She set the book on a table and floated closer, worry etched in her forehead as she looked at the fresh cuts.

"Something happened in her dream world or whatever you want to call it," Robin responded. "Now what did you find?" He pointed at the book.

"I remembered who the Tempest really is," Starfire began, going back to retrieve the book.

"Dudes!" Beast Boy suddenly exclaimed. "That's it! Dream world!"

"Explain," Robin said, confused. Cyborg scratched his head.

"You said dream world!" Beast Boy said. "We need to get Raven's mirror!"

"Man, why didn't we think of this before?" Cyborg groaned, slapping his forehead.

"Brilliant, friend! I will get it!" Starfire threw the book back on the table again and zoomed out of the room as fast as she entered.

"Nice, Beast Boy," Robin smiled for the first time in hours. "Let's see what Starfire—never mind." The book was in some alien language, he quickly discovered. "If anyone's hungry, now is the time to go try and grab something from the kitchen," Robin said, looking to his friends. Sometimes he forgot that he and Raven were the only ones that could go for long hours without so much as a snack. Cyborg looked grateful and he and Beast Boy raced out of the room.

"We'll get you out, Raven," Robin said as he turned back to the pale girl. "Wherever you are, we'll get you back."

He sat back down in his chair and resumed his bedside post, her hand again clasped tightly in his. Guilt was once again pressing against his windpipe. He should have thought of the mirror hours ago. He was supposed to protect her! Raven was his best friend, he her confidante. He knew her better than anyone, yet it had been Beast Boy who thought of the portal to her mind. Robin took a deep breath and tried to think rationally. Granted, Beast Boy and Cyborg had actually used the thing before and had been in Raven's mind. But that had all been purely accidental. Raven had willingly allowed Robin to know everything those two had learned, explaining how it worked and what was on the other side. He never needed to think about the mirror, or even touch it, because anything that was on Raven's mind that he asked about, he usually got an answer to from the girl herself. If he asked.

Still, he thought bitterly, he should have thought of it. From the moment they figured out she was mentally elsewhere, he should have thought of it. Robin sighed again and slumped back in the plastic chair. He could practically feel Raven's hand on his shoulder as she chided him about being too hard on himself. At least someone had thought of the mirror, right?

Starfire returned first.

"How are you, um, holding up?" she asked quietly, sinking down into the chair Cyborg had occupied earlier. Robin looked up at his friend and offered her a sad half-smile. She mirrored his expression.

"I should have thought of the mirror, Star," he said quietly. "I know her better than anyone, and I didn't think of the damn mirror."

"It is not your fault, friend," she said gently, scooting closer to him. "Sometimes, when we know someone so well, these things are not as apparent. You know so much about her, so these things that seem odd to others, like the Nevermore mirror, do not seem so unusual, and so you do not think of them. But for friend Beast Boy, the mirror is something he has a very clear memory of. It very much makes sense that he should think of it."

Robin was quiet for a minute, his focus back on Raven's face. She looked calm again.

"You're right," he said, Starfire's words washing away the heavy weight on his shoulders. Robin looked back at her with a soft smile. "Thanks, Star." The alien smiled back before turning towards the door as Beast Boy and Cyborg tumbled through.

"Sorry," Beast Boy gasped out. "We tried to hurry." Robin waved their apologies off.

"Okay, Titans, this might be our only chance to get to Raven," Robin said, standing. He reluctantly let go of Raven's hand and took the proffered mirror from Starfire. "Any ideas?"

"Can we send her into it?" Beast Boy wondered aloud. Robin shook his head.

"It doesn't work quite like that," he explained. "To access the mirror, you basically have to think your way into it."

"Should someone go in? Can we, like, get her out or something?" Cyborg added his own thoughts to the idea pool.

"Robin should go," Starfire said. The three boys looked at her. "I do not believe our Raven is in that mirror, but her emotions will be, and they will want to help. And I do believe it is Robin they would most want to see." Robin felt a blush creep up his neck as Starfire said this, but he quickly banished it. Now was not the time.

"But then what?" Beast Boy asked. Robin opened his mouth to reply, but the room began flashing red as the alarm blared.

"Glorbnax," Starfire cursed.

* * *

Well, there you go! Anyone else on the edge of their seat with this whole whats-coming-for-Tempest thing? Side-note: I can't wait for everyone to be back in the same reality again.

Review, please! Next chapter to come within the week =)


	9. Worlds Apart

**Chapter 9: Worlds Apart**

Get ready for more battles, confusion, and wigging out over different realities! Also I'm taking many a creative liberty with the Titans universe, so just roll with it, folks!

* * *

"It's him again," Cyborg confirmed as he looked up from the computer.

"We can handle him," Beast Boy said confidently, reading the unspoken question on Robin's face as he glanced at the mirror. "We've done it before and we can do it again."

"Right," Robin nodded. "Try and contain damage and if you chase him off, do not pursue except to gather information on where his hideout is. Play smart."

"We have the numbers, friend," Starfire said. "And I do believe all of us are most looking forward to kicking his butt."

"Damn straight," Cyborg said from the doorway. "Good luck, Robin."

"You, too," Robin said quietly as the three left the room. The mirror felt heavy in his hand, but the metal handle was warm, not cold like he would expect. While he admired his team's bravado, he remembered the last time it had just been three of them against Tempest. He would have to hurry.

"Alright, Raven, here I come," he mumbled. Robin took another look at Raven's still form on the hospital bed. What if he got stuck in Nevermore? Or trapped in the same place Raven was? Then what? Robin steeled his nerves. He would at least be with her if the latter happened. Quickly leaning down, Robin brushed his lips against Raven's forehead, his promise to her in the gentle kiss. Then, before he could over think the what-ifs, Robin held the mirror out in front of him and surrendered to the pull.

The feeling was not dissimilar to the time they had gotten sucked down into Mumbo's hat, Robin decided. He stood up and brushed the dust off his back, observing the rocky landscape. This was Nevermore, all right. It matched Beast Boy and Cyborg's descriptions as well as Raven's. Robin looked around for the red-eyed birds, remembering they would lead him to one of the Ravens. A cawing noise sounded from his right, and he set off at a jog across the asteroid-like platforms until he reached more solid terrain. The floating strawberries Cyborg had told him about were missing, as well as the yellow sky and pink grass. Perhaps one did not always land at Happy's doorstep? Robin slowed as he looked around, wondering where everyone was. The ground rumbled lightly.

"Robin!" He heard a familiar voice call to him. He faced the noise and resisted the urge to smile as Raven walked towards him. Well, not his Raven, but it was still such a relief to see some form of her. Intelligence's yellow cloak billowed behind her as she quickly approached him. Her hood was down and her glasses were slightly askew and smudged. Robin cocked his head, confused. As Intelligence came to a stop in front of him, he noticed the muddy streaks on her cloak and bruising on her legs.

"Are you okay?" he asked quickly, holding two hands out to steady her. It seemed even Raven's emotional selves were being physically affected by whatever was going on. Intelligence allowed Robin to hold on to her elbow as she took a quick breath.

"Thank Azar you're finally here," she said, adjusting her glasses. Robin heard someone clumsily land behind him, and he turned to find a green-cloaked Raven standing there, favoring her left leg. She was in even worse shape than Intelligence.

"Took you long enough," Bravery frowned. Her cheek was bleeding like his Raven's was back in the tower. Robin noticed a few other similar injuries on her, including the rip in her leotard on the shoulder where Raven had sported a sizeable burn earlier that day. Guilt once again rose up in Robin at Bravery's words, but Intelligence waved the green-cloaked girl off.

"There's no time for that now," she said before turning her attention back to Robin. "We need help, fast."

…

"When I am through with this clorbag valblernelk, there will be nothing left but ash," Starfire muttered to herself as she flew towards the city's outskirts.

"Save that strength for him, Star," Cyborg said as her grip unconsciously tightened on him. She quickly relaxed her hands, wincing as she saw Cyborg breathe a sigh of relief.

"Apologies, friend."

"We're good, Star. I think we all feel like that right now," Cyborg responded. He charged his sonic cannon to add to his point. Next to them, a green eagle screeched its agreement.

"Might we do another sneaky attack with the frontal assault?" Starfire said. "It seems he does not do terribly well when surprised."

Beast Boy responded with another screech, knowing exactly what she meant. With that, he dove down towards the ground and disappeared. Minutes later, Starfire and Cyborg were within range of Tempest. This time, he did not wait for them to attack first.

Starfire easily dodged the electric attacks Tempest shot at her and Cyborg. They were in the lot of an old power plant, and while the concrete ground did not lend itself to aiding their sneak attack, all the two Titans had to do was distract Tempest. The villain fired off another volley and Starfire twisted in the air, pulling Cyborg out of harm's way while both of them shot towards the ground with their own attacks. Tempest leapt backwards gracefully and landed on an old concrete cylinder. Flying low, Starfire released Cyborg into a full-on sprint and the two charged at their target, eyes and hands glowing with bolts and cannon blasts.

"Where are your little friends?" Tempest mocked as he rolled under a starbolt and vaulted a sonic cannon attack. "Too scared to come out and play?"

"We only need two of us to whoop your sorry ass!" Cyborg shouted in response, catching Tempest's heel as he tried to evade both of them again. He flipped backwards in a tumble of trench coat and silver hair, but managed to come up in a crouch with another blast of electricity at the ready.

"Is that so?" he said, grinning. Tempest brought the sword crashing down onto the slick ground and loops of electricity flew towards Cyborg. The Titan leapt into the air and Starfire swiftly grabbed hold of his hand as she fired another starbolt at Tempest. Their lack of sleep had made them twitchy, but it was working to their advantage at the moment. The righteous fury helped, too.

"Hyah!" Starfire cried out as she combined an eyebeam and a starbolt. Tempest tried to retaliate with another electric ball, but Starfire's attack was so powerful that it ripped right through Tempest's own. He scrambled for a nearby abandoned car, choosing the obstacles available to him in case the little green boy was around or if he needed to shield himself from the onslaught. Cyborg dropped back to the ground and shot at Tempest again, sorely wishing the man was rid of those damn swords so Cyborg could land a few punches on him.

Starfire noticed a flash of muted green under the car. If they could only get him back on the ground… She landed next to Cyborg and they nodded at each other, both charging their powers for a combined shot at Tempest. Just as they suspected, the villain chose to leap behind the car for cover. Now for the distraction.

"I know who you really are, Tempest!" Starfire called out as she and Cyborg took a step closer. She waited for him to poke his head over and look at them instead of anywhere near Beast Boy's field mouse form beneath the disintegrating metal.

"I am a legend! Of course you know who I am!" he called back, all bravado and no conviction. Starfire smirked.

"You cannot hide forever, Caliban," she said to him. Quick as lightning, he whipped his head up and locked eyes with Starfire. Before he could respond, Beast Boy roared and a great tyrannosaurus exploded beneath Tempest's feet, sending the villain high into the air. Only then did Starfire and Cyborg let their combination blow fly, the beams on target as they slammed into Tempest's chest and sent him crashing into the concrete side of the plant with a sickening crack. He slid to the ground, eerily still.

…

"What do you mean she's _missing_?" Robin said again, incredulous as he stared at Intelligence. The emotion removed her glasses and pressed her forefinger and thumb to the bridge of her nose and released a controlled breath through her mouth.

"As I've said before, Robin, I do. Not. Know," Intelligence said slowly.

"But, missing?" Robin exclaimed. If Raven wasn't in Nevermore, would they ever get her back? Panic clawed at his throat.

"I will explain. Again," Intelligence said. She began pacing back and forth in front of Robin and Bravery. Robin tried to ignore the intense worry nipping at him as Bravery shakily sank to the ground, knees in the dirt as she settled her weight on her heels.

"Thank you," Robin said, quieter this time. He could practically feel the frazzled energy coming off Intelligence in waves as she rubbed at her smudged glasses with a clean spot on her cloak.

"As you know, when Raven meditates, part of that it to find what she calls her 'center,'" Intelligence began. Robin nodded, having heard Raven use this exact phrase before. "Her 'center' is her, essentially. It is the Raven you know, the Raven you see and talk to everyday. It is _that_ Raven's presence in her own mind here in Nevermore." Intelligence stopped pacing and snorted in frustration, her own words confusing even to her.

"It's okay," Robin said. "I think know what you mean. For Raven, finding her center means realigning with her core self in her mind. Or something like that. Right?" Intelligence nodded gratefully.

"Yes, something very similar to that. It is difficult to explain and much easier to see, but as I've said, she's missing. Her center, the core intersection of her physical and emotional being, is gone."

"When did that happen?"

"Time here works in parallel to your world, and while we are not all completely aware of each and every event Raven experiences, I did gather from Bravery that our landscape became unstable the moment Raven fell unconscious in the water during the battle with Tempest," Intelligence explained, trying not to look at Bravery who was now on all fours and breathing heavily.

"Since then, we've gone missing," Bravery said quietly from the ground.

"Raven is our center, obviously, and her absence sends Nevermore into turmoil. Emotions have gone missing here because they are hiding. We're all a little on edge," Intelligence explained. Robin looked around, thinking 'a little' was quite the understatement.

"Has this happened before?"

"Raven's disappearance into Mumbo's hat was a little dicey, but she had the rest of you around her to provide some balance."

"Gave us some sanity," Bravery said. She was now seated, head between her knees. "But now, she's off the grid and none of us know what's going on. We keep getting hit with whatever is going on with her, but there's no explanation to it and we can't fight back."

"But that doesn't make sense," Robin said. "How can you not know? You're her emotions! You're in her head!"

"Robin," Intelligence began, but he cut her off.

"Okay, so she's the center and Nevermore is where the center is, but if that's the same Raven as the Raven I know and talk to, then how come my Raven is back in the tower, possibly dying, on a hospital bed and she's not here and nobody knows where the fuck she is?" Robin's voice was a shout by the end of his tirade, his footsteps retracing Intelligence's earlier pacing.

He felt like pulling his hair out, punching the nearby rock formations, screaming until he could scream no more. This was supposed to be a helpful reconnaissance mission, or even a rescue mission. He was supposed to _find _her. Find _his_ Raven. Sure, his first glimpse of Intelligence and hearing Raven's comforting voice call his name was a piece of hope. That was what he had selfishly wanted when he came to Nevermore: confirmation she was okay and seeing at least a version of her up and going. Yet here he was with just two of her emotions. The only two, it seemed, who were still capable of standing, but even Bravery was having trouble with that. They looked like they had been in a battle, but as Bravery said, they were at war with a faceless foe they couldn't fight back against.

"Robin," Intelligence said again, this time with more force. He looked at her, still pacing. "Yes or no: Raven knows every detail about her powers, emotions, and how they function."

"Um, no?" Robin responded, suddenly ashamed of his outburst. He stopped pacing.

"Yes or no: you know how Tempest's spell works and what is going on at Raven's location and the details of how she got there."

"No."

"Then stop asking me these stupid questions," Intelligence snapped, sounding very much like the Raven he knew and loved. That was a bit of comfort. "Now, please, be calm for Raven's sake. You are in her mind right now, after all."

"Sorry," Robin mumbled, appropriately remorseful. He thought he heard Bravery chuckle from the ground.

"Now, I have concluded Raven is in Tempest's mind, which is why she is so conspicuously absent from her own. It's a weird bit of magic, but very powerful. We, well, I, have been working on how to retrieve her from there, but it is near impossible from my position here. We require access to Tempest."

"Well, the others are fighting him right now," Robin said. Worry replaced his remorse. "If something happens to him, will something happen to her?" Intelligence mulled this over, her eyes widening as she realized the gravity of what Robin had asked. The Titans were strong, and they were angry. There would be no punches pulled when it came to beating Tempest into the ground.

"I do not know," she said slowly.

"Well," Bravery rasped from the ground, finally lifting her head to reveal new bruises on her face. "If that's true, feels like they're giving him a good ass whooping." She gave Robin and Intelligence a loopy half-smile. Robin looked closely at her: she was definitely concussed. The rumbling in the ground increased and the sky flickered green.

"If something happens while you're in here, I could never forgive myself." A new voice floated across the charged air, and Robin turned slowly to see a Raven in a light purple cloak. She was not bruised like Bravery, nor muddied like Intelligence, but Robin could see exhaustion etched in every curve of her body.

"And if something happens to Raven, I will never forgive myself," Robin replied, resolve in his stance. The new emotion regarded him with soft eyes.

"Love is right, Robin," Intelligence said. "If you get hurt here…" She trailed off with a sigh, but Robin was paying more attention to the identity of this new emotion. Love?

"Something is happening," Bravery said through clenched teeth. Robin tore his gaze from Love and knelt down next to Bravery along with the other two. He felt the ground quake beneath his fingers and the air hummed with anticipation.

…

Raven was on all fours, eyes darting around as the ground shook and the air crackled. She heard trees snapping around her and the water swelled, spilling over the riverbank and spluttering towards her spot in the dirt. The temperature plummeted as a wind whipped across her, sending chills across her skin. Raven tried to stand, but another tremor sent her flying to the ground again and the cold air turned boiling. The ground heaved once, twice, the earth rising and falling as more wind whipped through the air and the clear sky rang with thunder and the distinct crackle of lightning.

Looking back over her shoulder, Raven's eyes grew wide as a wall of water came gushing over the distant waterfall. It grew closer as the ground continued to lurch, but Raven rose up on shaky legs and stumbled forward, trying to run from the approaching tidal wave. The air was thick and hot and the wind dry like pine needles. Even as the ground pitched her forward again and again, Raven stood back up and tried to run. The wave came closer and closer, consuming everything in its path. An explosion suddenly rang out across the land and Raven was thrown into the air as the invisible shockwave snapped tree branches.

She hit the ground hard and tumbled forward, final coming to a stop on her back. Raven gasped, her lungs searching for air, and another explosion ripped through the air. Flipping onto her stomach, Raven continued to gasp, but she couldn't find oxygen. Her head hit the soft dirt, and her eyelids fluttered shut.

…

"We need to get to the center, now!" Intelligence shouted. "It's the most stable place here." The world continued to shake slightly, and the group looked up to the sky as the sounds of explosions and fighting echoed overhead. The sounds were so very far away, but the shaking ground and rolling thunder were all too near.

Robin leapt to his feet and pulled Bravery up with him. She tried to push him away, but quickly stumbled again and was only saved from the ground by Love. The purple-cloaked girl caught Bravery's shoulders, but Robin could see Love was just as close to collapsing as Bravery. Long fissures appeared in the ground as more explosions sounded in the sky, closer this time.

"Quickly!" Intelligence called. Robin scooped the injured Bravery up into his arms and he and Love raced forwards, Intelligence leading them the short distance to the center. They reached a circle of rocks and Robin gently set Bravery down on one of them. She mumbled a gruff thanks.

Various Ravens in different colored cloaks were already gathered. On the left, there was a short rock-face, and Robin caught a glimpse of a subdued Anger skulking around in the shadows. As he looked around, he saw all of Raven's emotions were in various states of injury. Most noticeably were Happy and Timid. Robin felt his heart pulled in so many directions at once, his instinct to run to Raven hampered by the fact that there were so many of them, and all in such bad shape, around him. Happy's normally vibrant pink cloak was dull beneath a coat of dust, her face smudged and sad. Timid looked like she had been crying and she had a black eye. They were both huddled close to each other on a stone ledge ten yards to Robin's left.

"Remember, we are only manifestations of Raven's emotions, not her," a soft voice said. Robin watched as Love sank gracefully to a rock on his right, and he sat down next to her. The sky flashed blue.

"It's still hard to watch," Robin murmured. Intelligence had posted up across the circle at another ledge, her bespectacled eyes watching the raised platform in the middle of the gathered crowd.

"You have a good heart," Love said as she patted Robin's hand. "Raven will be back soon."

"How can you know that?"

"I can't," Love shrugged, flinching as the sky crackled again. "But someone special once told her that she was the most hopeful person he knew (1), and I think all of us here took that to heart."

"Special?" Robin looked at her. She merely winked.

The biggest explosion yet shattered the air and the ground heaved once, twice. On the raised platform, a familiar midnight blue cloak began to flicker. Robin leapt to his feet, inching closer as the shadow glimmering image began to solidify. Intelligence locked eyes with Robin from across the platform, and as one final rumble sounded out, Raven's unconscious form settled between them. Robin leapt up and slid to his knees next to her.

"Raven?" he said urgently, lifting her head into his lap as Intelligence and all the rest looked on, each desperate for salvation. Raven opened her eyes slowly, and Robin watched as her eyes faded in and out of focus. She blinked, and her eyes turned silver. She blinked again, and they were purple. Robin watched with baited breath as this happened twice more, and finally her purple eyes locked onto his face. Around him, he felt the atmosphere relax and take a collective sigh of relief. The mud on Intelligence's cloak began to fade.

"Raven?" he said again, brushing the hair from her face. One of her hands came up to catch his and his heart skipped a beat as warmth flooded through his body.

"Robin," she breathed.

* * *

(1) reference to The End (part 3, I believe) when Robin tells Raven she's the most hopeful person he's ever met. Such a squeee moment in the series.

OKAY, so we have Raven back (kinda), but what is this Caliban Starfire speaks of? Will our two birds be able to escape Nevermore? Will I ever find a job? All of this and more in chapter 10, coming soon to a computer screen near you!


	10. Together Again

**Ch 10: Together Again**

Oh goodness, chapter 10! So exciting! Sorry it might end up being a little on the short side… without all of the answers I promised. Except one: I now have an internship! No longer am I a 24/7 couch bum! Huzzah!

Brownie points to anyone who can snag the Shakespeare references.

* * *

There was no way out of this one. They had him good and trapped with his back literally against a wall. Starfire felt the heated joy of satisfaction bubble up in her chest, and the starbolt poised on her fingertips shined a little brighter. Next to her, Cyborg mirrored her stance: one arm out, glowing energy ready to fire down into Tempest's sitting form. On Starfire's other side, Beast Boy growled, his sleek wolf body tense, lips curled back in a sharp snarl. Oh yes, they had him trapped.

Tempest studied the three through hooded eyes, his silver hair hanging in a wet curtain across his brow. He wondered if he could goad them into finishing him off before the real danger came rumbling through the sky. His back was against the concrete wall of the plant, and he felt the lump on his head throb painfully. Blood trickled down the back of his neck from the injury. He wished his swords were in reach, but the green boy had nosed them aside in the few moments he had been unconscious. The boys, though, were the least of his worries. It was with confusion, and perhaps a bit of fear, that he regarded the redhead standing above him. She was definitely not of Earth.

"How do you know who I am?" he asked quietly, voice soft and devoid of emotion. The green wolf growled and Starfire made no move to give him an answer.

"One move, lightning boy, and I blast you to the next dimension," Cyborg warned. Tempest's hands twitched against the ground, but he kept them firmly planted in the dirt at his sides.

"What have you done to Raven?" Starfire said forcefully.

"She's fine now, I assure you," Tempest smirked, feeling cold anger clutch at his aching head. "Thanks to you fools." Cyborg resisted the urge to flick his eyes towards Starfire and Beast Boy. The Titans had yet to hear from their resident birds and had no way of knowing if they were actually in the clear.

"You did not answer my question." Starfire's voice was dangerously calm and the starbolt flickered. Tempest eyed it warily, eyes darting back and forth between her stony face and the energy on her hand. He took a quick breath and composed his features into a casual, almost bored look.

"Well, I suppose I have time to explain a bit about myself," Tempest said airily. "Those fine swords over there, well, they give me a bit of a magical edge, no pun intended. With the right spell and the right amount of time, I am capable of so much more than weather patterns. When I attacked your little friend, I left a seal of sorts on her."

"The lightning brand," Cyborg said. Tempest nodded.

"The very same. It's quite a nice piece of art, don't you think?" Tempest smirked, watching the anger flicker across the three faces in front of him. The wolf took a step towards him with a low growl and Tempest continued.

"Now, usually this spell of mine is a bit more permanent, but I didn't know you had an Azarathian among your numbers. What are the chances I get her, of all people? It's quite funny, really," Tempest chuckled. "An _Azarathian _on your little team of heroes."

"You will not speak ill of our friend, thief," Starfire spat.

"No need for name-calling," Tempest shot back, fingers twitching towards his swords. Starfire sent a small blast at the dirt near his fingers with the hand that wasn't currently trained on his face.

"Don't even think about it," Cyborg warned. "Keep talking."

"Anyway," Tempest continued, glaring at him. "I didn't expect a sorceress when I found her on the roof. It made things interesting, I'll admit. She's escaped the place I sent her, but the seal remains."

"And how do we remove it?" Starfire asked. Tempest shrugged with another smirk.

"There's a spell, but I never bothered learning it."

"You lie!" Starfire stepped closer to him. Tempest raised his hands in the air in surrender.

"Why would I lie now? I really never bothered learning it. I've never had anyone escape before." Tempest shrugged again but kept his hands in the air, palms facing the Titans. "You have to get rid of me if you have any hope of fully saving your friend."

"Don't tempt me," Cyborg said. Beast Boy growled in agreement.

"I believe there are others who would rather have you in their possession," Starfire told Tempest. "They deal with thieves in a manner much more interesting than how we deal with criminals here."

"You wouldn't dare," Tempest sneered at her, narrowing his eyes. Cyborg masked his confusion at the exchange between the two; Starfire definitely had some explaining to do once they got back to the tower.

"You have hurt my friends," Starfire said. "Do not underestimate me."

"Fools," Tempest muttered. "Then how will you rid your friend of the seal?"

"Like you said," Cyborg spoke up. "She's a sorceress. If she escaped you, she'll figure out how to get rid of that thing."

Tempest stayed silent, looking at the three. The half-metal man, cannon trained on his torso. The alien redhead, hand aimed at his face. And the green wolf, fangs bared. The swords were too far to retrieve, but perhaps there was a way out of this. If he did not possess the swords, he could not be accused of theft, right?

"If you insist," Tempest said, a sneer curling across his face. "You're all a bunch of idiots." With that, he spat in Cyborg's face. Cyborg lowered his cannon slightly to wipe at his cheek, and in the instant Starfire's eyes flicked towards her friend, Tempest brought his hands together in a loud clap. Lightning fried through the sky at Tempest and hit him and the wall in a shower of sparks. The blue of Cyborg's cannon and a bright green starbolt followed quickly, but in a flash Tempest was gone. Beast Boy leapt towards the space the villain had sat in only moments ago, nose to the ground.

"Well, you definitely hit him," Beast Boy said as he morphed back into a human. "Look." He pointed at the dirt where a small pool of blood was quickly sliding away in the rainwater.

"Yeah, but he escaped," Cyborg said sullenly.

"But we are now in possession of the weapons of Medeca!" Starfire exclaimed.

"The what?" Beast Boy turned towards her, face twisted into confusion.

"The swords," she clarified, pointing at the discarded set in the dirt.

"Medeca?" Cyborg asked. Starfire grimaced and sighed.

"As I said, I remembered who he is. I will explain at home. We must see if our friends have returned."

"Right," Beast Boy nodded. And with that, the three took to the air and began their journey back to the tower.

…

Robin absentmindedly stroked Raven's hair as he stared off into space, only half listening to the words spilling from her mouth as she and Intelligence talked. Her tale of her journey in what they had decided was Tempest's mind was still fresh in Robin's thoughts.

When Raven had flickered back into existence on the platform where they now sat, the relief Robin felt had been unimaginable. He hadn't realized the extent of his anxiety until that very moment; he had been so uptight, so tense for so many hours, that he had forgotten what it felt like to truly take a breath and relax his shoulders. The weight of his stress was still leaking away from his body, but it felt like there was a little more room to breathe. After she had sat up, her eyes firmly purple once more, Robin had pulled the dark mystic into his arms with no hesitation. She was stiff at first, but as Robin pressed his cheek to hers, she had relaxed, allowing her own arms to snake around his shoulders. Robin's lips twitched into a small smile as he remembered the force with which she had returned his hug, clinging to him just as desperately as he had to her. And over her shoulder, he had caught a glimpse of the purple-cloaked Love smile, the injury and exhaustion in her body evaporating into the atmosphere.

Of course, Intelligence had to interrupt, but Robin couldn't hold that against her. They all needed answers and Raven was the only one capable of providing them. However, she had been reluctant to let go of Robin, something that did not go unnoticed by the boy wonder. He also could not help but notice that, despite the apparent recovery of her surrounding emotions, Raven was still shaky and weak. So while he let go of her and let her turn around to speak with Intelligence, Robin made sure he was nearby. As she recounted her climb, the waterfall, and the Thing, Robin felt her slowly leaning into his knee where it was propped up at her side. This was their current position, him with one leg stretched out in front of him, the other pulled up close to his body with Raven leaning on it, her own legs crisscrossed in front of her. Robin had put a hand on her back when she had told them about her conversation with the Thing, and he had yet to remove it, opting instead to gently run his hand through the hair at her back. He kept expecting her to disappear again.

"But how did you get back?" Intelligence said. Robin felt Raven shrug.

"It was strange. The landscape was changing, and it was like there was a giant earthquake," Raven said slowly. Intelligence nodded.

"The same thing happened here," the yellow-cloaked emotion said. "The ground shook and there were green and blue lights in the sky and something that sounded like explosions, but they weren't happening here."

"That might have been Starfire and Cyborg's attacks on Tempest," Robin said, speaking up for the first time since the whole conversation began. Intelligence looked at him thoughtfully.

"That is quite possible," she mused. "Something must have happened to Tempest to cause this overlap in action and bring Raven back here, and if he were knocked unconscious or something along those lines while fighting, that would bring his physical reality into conversation with ours and the one where Raven was."

"The great overlap," Raven quipped. "He must have been knocked unconscious, but only for a few moments. When I was back here, I felt myself pulled in two directions. His world and this one flashed back and forth a few times before I could finally focus on Robin." Her voice trailed off and Robin felt the pressure on his knee lessen. He abandoned his post behind Raven and scooted himself forward so he was now next to her, hip and leg flush against hers.

"Your eyes kept flashing purple then silver when you came back," Robin said. "He must have still had some hold on you, but you fought it off."

"I could see the Thing coming back for me," Raven said softly.

"This is very powerful magic," Intelligence said. "It is a miracle you were able to fully return here."

"I had something to focus on," Raven said, eyes flicking towards Robin. He smiled. Across from him, he saw Love wink at him again. Raven's emotions were still gathered around the circle with the exception of Anger who had returned to wherever she chose to sulk in Nevermore. He glanced over at Bravery and was relieved to see she was finally standing again, still tired though no longer limping. Happy's cloak had returned to its vibrant pink color and she was gleefully poking Timid on the rock they still occupied.

"We should get back to the tower and find out for sure what happened," Robin said, leaning forward onto his knees. "I don't know if the others are still fighting him and they could be in trouble." Next to him, Raven nodded.

"Hopefully the fact that I'm back here means they've taken care of him," Raven said, also moving to stand. Robin got to his feet and took Raven's hand, helping her to her feet as well.

"But can you return to reality now?" Intelligence asked, rising from the ground. "There are so many variables at work. I don't believe his spell was ever meant to be used on someone like us."

"One way to find out," Raven said with conviction. She closed her eyes and raised her face towards the sky. Intelligence stepped back off the platform and moved to join the other emotions.

"Good luck," Love said to them. Robin nodded and tightened his grip on Raven's hand. She laced her fingers through his.

"Azarath metrion zinthos," she murmured. Robin felt the unfamiliar pull of the mirror again, and soon they were spinning into nothingness.

…

Robin flew backwards into his plastic chair with a gasp, the mirror clutched tightly to his chest. He quickly leapt back to his feet, frantically searching the room for Raven. The hospital bed was empty.

A small groan from the other side of the bed alerted him to her prescence. Robin set the mirror down on the pillow and leaned over, sighing in relief as he caught a glimpse of her lavender hair. He walked to the other side.

Raven was on her back on the cold tile, feet resting on the floor with her knees bent in the air. Her hands were pressed to her face. Robin chuckled a bit when he saw her lying there, looking like she was lounging on a beach or something when that couldn't be further from the truth.

"It's not nice to laugh," she said from beneath her hands. She slowly sat up, resting her weight back on her arms. "I didn't even know if that would work."

"Well I for one am glad it did," Robin said, a grin resting on his face. She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Why do you have such a ridiculous smile on your face?" she asked. Robin leaned down and extended a hand to her. She took it, still waiting for an answer, and Robin pulled her up off the ground. She found herself standing toe-to-toe with him, his arms loosely wrapped around her small body. Her hands rested on his arms, and she had to lean her head back to look into his eyes.

"Well?" she asked, meaning to sound demanding, but her voice came out as a soft whisper.

"Because, Raven," he whispered back, leaning his forehead down to touch hers. "I have you back." His breath tickled her cheek and Raven resisted the instinct to take a step backwards. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed, accepting the comforting warmth radiating from Robin's body pressed against hers. She was back in her own mind, in her own body, in her own home.

A wave of nausea rippled through her and Raven all but collapsed against Robin. His grip tightened around her, keeping her on her feet.

"Are you okay?" he said hurriedly. She laughed softly.

"I'm just hungry," she said. She felt Robin laugh, too. To finally have something so normal wrong with her… it was a relief they both felt.

"To the kitchen, then," Robin said. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again." Raven swatted at his arm, her body still wrapped tightly in his arms. He began walking backwards, almost dragging her with him.

"I can walk," she said.

"I know," Robin responded as he plucked her cloak off the end of the bed. He pressed a quick kiss to her temple and released her, spinning her so she was now in front of him. He fastened her cloak back around her neck, and with his hands lightly gripping her shoulders, he propelled them through the door and towards the kitchen. Raven felt a blush heat her cheeks and resisted the urge to touch the spot where his lips had been.

"Friend Raven!" Starfire's voice echoed through the halls, followed shortly by the alien girl zooming towards Raven and Robin. She hugged Raven tightly, swinging her out from under Robin's hands and into the air. Raven awkwardly returned the hug as best she could, her own arms mostly trapped by Starfire's grip.

"Hey, Star," she said. Starfire set her back down next to Robin and landed, her smile lighting up the dark hallway.

"I knew friend Robin would be able to get you back," she beamed.

"I didn't actually do much," Robin said, scratching the back of his head.

"I wouldn't say that," Raven said quietly, smiling at him with shining eyes. Robin felt the relief of her return wash over him again, just as it had in Nevermore.

"Rae!" Cyborg boomed. He and Beast Boy popped up next to Starfire.

"Dude we were so worried!" Beast Boy exclaimed, grinning ear-to-ear. "How'd you get back? Or out? Or whatever?"

"Well," she began. Raven felt her stomach clench again and she shot a look at Robin. He winked at her and looped an arm around her shoulders, steering the group towards the kitchen. "You all helped, actually. Whatever happened while you were fighting Tempest gave me enough of an opening to reach out to my own mind, and Robin was there waiting and helped pull me back to Nevermore."

"Wait, what happened with Tempest?" Robin said. The grins on the three warriors' faces fell.

"He ran off," Cyborg said.

"Coward," Beast Boy added. Starfire merely nodded grimly, but then she brightened again.

"But we do have the swords," she said. "He was not able to escape with those." The reunited group of five was now at the kitchen. Raven dropped onto a stool at the breakfast bar, followed closely by Cyborg. Starfire floated next to them and Beast Boy jumped up to sit on the counter. In the kitchen, Robin rummaged in the fridge before bringing food out and setting it in front of Raven.

"You said you know who he is, Star?" Robin said as he put a kettle of water on the stove to boil. She nodded vigorously and opened her mouth to speak, but Beast Boy cut her off.

"Yeah, she totally owned Tempest," Beast Boy said, smiling at Starfire. "Completely freaked him out and everything. It was awesome."

"Our very own Tamaranean warrior!" Cyborg said, laughing a bit as he stood to grab a snack, too. Tossing a bottle of mustard at Starfire from the fridge, he began digging through it. Starfire was blushing slightly.

"Oh, someone else would have eventually done the figuring," she said.

"Nuh uh," Beast Boy responded. "That's some alien stuff right there."

"Who is he, Star?" Raven said as she swallowed a bite. Robin set a cup of tea in front of her and she rewarded him with another soft smile.

"It is Caliban," Starfire said, sitting on a stool next to Raven. The empath's eyes widened in realization.

"Of course," Raven said. "The Thief of Sycorax."

* * *

Phew, they're all back together! Huzzah reunion! Let me know what you think. The full legend of Tempest/Caliban is coming in the next two chapters.


	11. Legends and Limitations

**Ch 11: Legends and Limitations**

And here we are at the next installment! Get ready for spells and legends, but mostly legends because the spells are really going to be in chapter twelve. There is some nice Titan fluff in here though! It's pretty much all dialogue, but I hope it's interesting for y'all!

BIG thanks to **_mcveras_** for making my day and inspiring me to get on with this chapter sooner than planned. The power of a review, people.

* * *

"You two really have some explaining to do," Cyborg said as he looked at Raven.

"Dude I still can't believe you were in Tempest's _mind_," Beast Boy exclaimed, bits of sandwich flying from his mouth as he spoke. Raven raised an eyebrow and flicked a crumb back towards him from where it had landed a little too close to her mug.

"It was certainly an adventure," the mystic said dryly. The door hissed open and the trio looked up to see Starfire and Robin reenter the room, a bundle resting in Starfire's arms.

"…and that is how we came to defeat Tempest, if only temporarily," Starfire finished. Beast Boy's ears perked up as he heard the end of the story on how they battled Tempest.

"We knocked him out good," the green boy laughed. Raven frowned as she flicked another crumb away from her.

"Man, close your mouth and stop eating like a damn animal," Cyborg said, swatting at Beast Boy. "You're spitting crumbs everywhere. Nasty."

"Oops," Beast Boy shrugged, not a bit sorry. Raven rolled her eyes, causing Robin to laugh as he leaned on the counter across from her. Starfire set the bundle down, careful to only touch the rough cloth wrapped around the swords.

"Do not touch them if you can help it, friends," she reminded them. Raven pushed her mug aside and leaned in closer to the bundle, bright eyes trained on the glowing handles.

"I recognize these," she said slowly. "The runes, that is. I know this magic."

"So you can undo what he did to you?" Robin asked. Raven bit her lip, thinking. All eyes were on her.

"I have a book of spells that should help," she said. "I can get rid of him, but I don't know what I can do about the actual scar. Some magics leave residue, even if it's not exactly harmful or active anymore, per say."

"These are from Sycorax, yes?" Starfire asked Raven. She nodded.

"The ancient runes of the weather mages of Sycorax, yes," Raven said. "My planet has some familiarity with their work." Raven hesitated, choosing her next words carefully. "We don't have association with much else of theirs, though." Starfire gave a grim nod.

"Yes, my planet is much more familiar with the lore of the galaxies," the redhead said.

"Would you two stop talking in code and share with the rest of us?" Cyborg said, frustrated. "This stuff sounds, I don't know, maybe a _little _important."

"Sorry, Cyborg," Raven said. "These swords are from a different planet called Sycorax. Azarath and Sycorax have… a volatile relationship. I was only able to learn about some of their magic because one of my teachers was well respected by a high priest on Sycorax."

"Tempest went by a different name when he lived there," Starfire interrupted, saving Raven from a complicated story. She shot Starfire a grateful look. "He used to be called Caliban."

"And it's the same dude we heard about when we were on the phone with that lady earlier?" Beast Boy asked.

"The very same," Starfire said.

"There are so many planets," Beast Boy muttered to himself. Robin ignored him, his eyes glued on Raven. She had abandoned her task of flicking Beast Boy's crumbs away from her personal space. Instead, she was holding her wrist, her finger gently rubbing the lightning bolt outline on her skin. She had a soft frown on her face, brow wrinkled and lower lip jutting out ever so slightly. Only Robin had heard the story of what she really went through in Tempest's mind. And even to him, it had just been a story. He could not imagine going through all of that in a day. A battle with the HIVE, a personal attack on the roof, a battle with Tempest, and then she was whisked away to an unknown world, all alone, left to face whatever Tempest's mind could cook up for her while she wandered, trying to escape. Robin clenched his jaw. That mark on her wrist was a constant reminder of the man that had enjoyed putting her through hell the past twenty-four hours. Tempest had messed with her mind, and that was something Raven could not, would not, take lightly.

"So what do we do now?" Cyborg mused. "Starfire, feel like telling us a bedtime story?"

"I do believe it is morning," Starfire said. Outside, the sky was still thick with black clouds with no sign of sunlight, but the small clock on the oven said it was early morning.

"Feels like bedtime," Beast Boy grumbled. "We've been up for hours." His words were punctuated by yawns. Robin felt a yawn of his own rise up. Across from him, he saw Raven stifling her own.

"Couch?" Cyborg said.

"Couch," the other four agreed. The five Titans rose and shuffled into the living room, away from the light green numbers that told them it was too early to be awake and too late to still be up.

Cyborg sat heavily on the far end of the couch where he could reach a charger cable. Pulling it towards him, he plugged it into his back and settled himself on the couch, ready to listen to Starfire. Beast Boy jumped over the back of the couch and landed near Cyborg. He laid down on his stomach, feet in the air and resting against the back of the couch. He propped his head up on his fists. Starfire took the middle of the couch, choosing to sit upside down with her head hanging over the edge and legs kicked over the back of the couch, much like her usual sleeping position. On her other side, Raven sank into the cushions, her right side pushed against the back of the couch so her head could rest on the top of it. Robin pushed the ottoman up against the couch in front of Raven. Lying down on his back, he propped his feet up on the back of the couch behind Raven. He grabbed a pillow from the floor and tucked it under his head, allowing him to see all of his friends around the room.

"Comfortable?" Raven said softly, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Robin gave her a lopsided smile in return and gently knocked his knee against her back.

"Very. Good view, too," he said cheekily. Raven rolled her eyes at him, but he did not miss the slight blush on her cheeks or the quick smile that flashed across her face.

"Story time, Star," Beast Boy yawned.

"I will attempt briefness," she said, her voice sounding strangely high because of her upside down positioning. "The legend of the Thief of Sycorax is well known on my planet. I am surprised I did not make the connection earlier, but the name Tempest has never appeared in the legend. I do wonder if he is attempting to create a new story for himself, but… well, anyway, his true name is Caliban."

"Weird name," Beast Boy huffed. Raven threw a pillow at him.

"He is of Earth, but travelled to the planet Sycorax many years ago in search of knowledge. On Earth, he was an outcast, sent away by his father and mother when they realized he was different. From the research friend Beast Boy did earlier, we now know that is because of the lightning strike out in Deyana."

"Indiana," Robin said.

"That's what I said," Starfire responded. Cyborg smiled.

"So the lady said they lived out in Indiana," Beast Boy piped up. "And Caliban was struck by lightning when he was little, then he acted all weird and so his parents sent him away."

"Yes," Starfire said, continuing. "He disappeared from Earth and somehow found his way to the planet Sycorax. That part of the tale is furry."

"Fuzzy."

"Some say he found an alien on earth that led him there, others say his weather powers caused him to land on this new planet. The weather patterns and atmosphere of Sycorax are very similar to Earth, and he was quite young and had very little control over his powers. Many of my people have their own versions of how he came to Sycorax, but it is of no consequence. The weather mages found him and took him under their wings. They saw great power in the boy and were most curious. They had never met a child with such raw power over storms. It is said he could create tornadoes when he was ten, and hurricanes before he was fifteen," Starfire said.

"It takes up to twenty years of intense training in the temples for a weather mage of Sycorax to learn how to control a thunderstorm," Raven said for comparison.

"It is an honor to be chosen to follow the teachings of the mages," Starfire added. "Caliban trained in the temples and learned their weather magic. One day, he discovered the ancient weapons of Medeca deep in the high temple of Sycorax."

"Those are the swords, right?" Cyborg asked. He looked down at Beast Boy and knocked his foot with his hand; the changeling was falling asleep.

"Yes. They are very powerful and it is dangerous for the wrong person to find them," Starfire said. "Caliban was corrupted by their power, and he decided he no longer needed the teachings of the people of Sycorax. He stole away in the middle of the night with the swords in his possession. In the legend, nobody knows where he goes. Many planets claim they have sighted him, but as we know, he is here, on Earth. The mages could not stop his flight, and to them, he was a child of the universe that fell onto their planet, not a human child of Earth, so they did not know where to start looking. He does not have full understanding or control of the power of the swords. The swords have control of the mind among other things, but only the right person will truly know the extent of their power and how to wield them. Caliban is not that person."

"Well that explains a lot of things," Robin said.

"He thinks the mages are coming for him," Raven added. "He wants to go out with a bang."

"Well, he's not going anywhere anytime soon," said Beast Boy, yawning. "Star and Cy took a chunk out of him earlier."

"I will send word to Galfore that we are in possession of these now," Starfire said.

"But what if the dudes are mad and think we had something to do with the stealing thing?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah, I'm not getting tangled up in planet politics," Cyborg said hurriedly.

"They're right," Raven mumbled, half-asleep. "Sycorax doesn't have an abundance of patience when it comes to these things."

"I will request he keep the information secret for the time being," Starfire said. "This way, we can see if there is any, um, 'buzz' about Caliban that has gone around recently. Or about the swords. Legends hold much weight on Tamaran and we will know if the mages have discovered Caliban is now on Earth. I still do not know why he has come here. The swords are from far older legends than Caliban's, and Earth is not the most glorious place to make a legend of oneself. I am sure the mages have been searching the galaxy for them for a long time. Earth usually falls aside when it comes to the politics. Nothing interesting ever really happens here."

"Except Trigon and the apocalypse," Robin murmured. He felt Raven hit his leg.

"Still, in the large scheme, that is smaller news," Starfire yawned out. A light snore escaped Beast Boy. Starfire yawned again. "Perhaps I will call Galfore after a cat nap," she mumbled.

"Good story, Star," Cyborg muttered in his sleep from where he lay sprawled across the end of the couch. Robin smiled fondly at his friends; they really had been up far too long fighting Tempest, fighting for Raven. She was the only one still sitting up. Robin watched as her eyelids drooped, closing as her body leaned forward into the empty space above the couch. Her head jerked backwards as she felt herself fall and Robin stifled a chuckle.

"You can lay down, you know," he murmured. "I think we're safe for now."

Raven glanced at Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire's sleeping forms, then looked sideways at Robin. The cushioned ottoman was at just the right height to almost be an extension of the couch itself. Robin had one hand draped across his chest, the other lying across the empty space on his left side.

"You're taking up all the room," she responded. Robin smiled.

"Am not," he said sleepily. "Besides, I said I wasn't ever letting you out of my sight again. This is me improvising since I can't sleep with my eyes open."

"Your cleverness never fails to impress me," Raven deadpanned.

"Humor me, Rae."

"Only because I feel like I haven't slept in a week." Raven leaned back to her left, lowering herself onto the soft cushions. "Your arm is in the way."

"You don't want a pillow?"

"You call that a pillow?" Raven poked his elbow and the hard muscle of his arm to emphasize her point.

"I can't help it if I'm so strong," Robin chortled. He lifted his head up and slid the pillow over so it was in the middle of the ottoman. "But I'm nice. I'll share." He picked his arm off the space and it joined his other on his chest. Raven moved so her head was resting on the pillow. Her back was pressed against Robin's prone form, but she liked the warmth. The living room was chilly.

Beast Boy mumbled in his sleep and turned on his side, face in the cushions of the back of the couch. Behind her, she felt Robin's breathing even out as he, too, fell asleep. Her heart swelled as she watched her friends. They had been awake for so long, fighting so hard, for her. She levitated a blanket over Beast Boy and she smiled as he curled into the warmth of the fleece. The second blanket she placed over Robin. Her cloak was warm enough for her, and she knew the other two didn't use blankets. Robin turned onto his stomach in his sleep, pulling the blanket tight beneath his chin. His breath tickled the back of Raven's neck and finally let her eyes close, content to sleep with Robin at her side and her friends scattered around her, their auras cloaking her mind in a cocoon of safety and warmth.

…

Safe was, and always would be, a relative term, Tempest decided as he lay on the cold ground of his cave hideout. He was safely out of range of the Titans as well as untraceable in the rock, but he was bleeding heavily. The silver-haired villain gritted his teeth as he poured hydrogen peroxide along his torso, careful not to let it get too close to the large gash in his side. His skin tightened in pain, the blood turning to froth as the peroxide bubbled away on his smaller cuts.

The metal-man and the alien had really done a number on him with those final blasts. Tempest pressed a cloth against his side, biting his lip in pain. He hadn't been quick enough to teleport away, and those energy blasts had just gotten enough of him to make his life very miserable. Not only that, but he had lost his swords and now had absolutely no power over the Azarathian. He only had his weather bending left, but he would make sure to put it to good use as soon as he had the energy to move around again, provided he didn't bleed out and die before then.

Tempest hissed as some of the peroxide dribbled into the large open wound at his side. He quickly wiped at his torso, getting rid of the rest of it. Reaching into a box, he pulled out a length of white bandages and began tightly wrapping it around his abdomen. It wasn't a deep wound, but it was large and painful. The bleeding would stop soon, he hoped.

"And then I'll be back," he murmured to the empty cave.

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Review, please!


	12. Daybreak to Nightfall

**Ch 12: Daybreak to Nightfall**

Sorry for the slight delay! I just started work (yay internships!) and it's really tiring and cuts into my writing schedule… since, you know, I can't very well stay up until 3 or 4am every day now since I have to wake up and look professional three times a week. But here is chapter twelve!

* * *

A loud snort from Beast Boy sent Robin shooting into the air. Rather, it would have, if he were not tangled up in the girl lying next to him. He was surprised she only stirred and did not wake, light sleeper that he knew her to be. Robin took a moment to calm his heartbeat and bring himself down from high alert; there was no threat, only a snoring changeling. He settled back onto the cushy surface of the ottoman and allowed a wide smile to crease his face. One might have expected Raven to wake up first and be surprised to find Robin's arms wrapped around her, but in some odd turn of events, the reality was quite the opposite.

Their nap had started out innocently enough with Robin on his stomach and Raven on her side, back against him and all arms tucked tightly against their owners. But at some point in the last four hours, Robin had managed to grab hold of Raven's cloak and roll over, facing away from the other Titans, and take most of said cloak with him. Searching for warmth in her sleep, Raven, too, had turned away from the other Titans, and now she was pressed tightly against Robin's back. Her arms hugged his chest, and Robin briefly wondered how on earth her arm could be comfortable stuck beneath him. She had drawn her legs up to her body, but with Robin's own form in the way, her lower body had twisted itself towards the ceiling so her knees now rested against Robin's hip. He felt her breath tickle at the back of his neck and her nose nuzzled deeper into the dip where his neck met his shoulder.

It was easily Robin's favorite morning in recent memory.

Beast Boy snored again as he rolled off the couch and hit the ground with a soft thud. Robin waited for the boy to rise with a complaint, but with a loud snuffle, Beast Boy was soon fast asleep again. Behind him, though, Raven began to stir. He felt her eyelashes flutter and heard the soft intake of her breath as she realized the position she had put herself in. And it was through no fault of his own, Robin thought to himself. She softly tugged at the arm trapped beneath the boy wonder's body, and Robin would have loved to continue pretending he was asleep if she hadn't been trying so hard to be quiet about her escape. A chuckle rumbled through his chest.

"I hate you," she muttered. Robin grinned and let her reclaim her arm. "Blanket hog," she added as she took her cloak back and turned over so her back was against his. Unfazed, Robin rolled over and happily settled his arm across her curled up body.

"I said I would share," he teased. "I never said I would be your teddy bear."

"I don't even sleep with that," Raven huffed, both of them referring to the secret bear she kept tucked away in her closet.

"So you say," Robin responded, hugging her close to his chest.

"You're walking on thin ice," she warned. Raven felt his ungloved hand find an opening in her cloak cocoon, and soon his fingers were gently stroking her arm. The soft caress sent her eyelids fluttering closed again, but she fought the urge to sleep.

"You don't seem to mind," he whispered, lips all too close to her ear for her liking. Robin was faintly aware of a light bulb in the hallway breaking; it wasn't often Raven's emotions escaped like that anymore. As the other three began to stir, he pressed a kiss in the hollow behind her ear before quickly moving to sit on the couch, smirking at the small gasp that escaped her when he kissed her.

"I feel like I got hit by a truck," Cyborg groaned, sitting up straight and cracking his neck.

"Agreed. I still feel log-tired," Starfire moaned as she allowed herself to slide off the couch onto the carpet.

"Dog tired, Star," Beast Boy said as he rolled onto his back into a green puppy to stretch. The fact that he woke up on the floor seemed to have no effect on Beast Boy.

"But do you not 'sleep like a log'?" the redhead asked.

"I slept like a log and I'm _still _dog-tired," Robin said. His eyes had not left Raven. She was still curled in a tight ball, clearly trying to compose herself before entering the conversation or even sitting up.

"It's too early for this," Cyborg retorted. "Dogs, logs, hogs, bogs, whatever. I'm eating eggs then going back to my room to finish charging and get some real sleep."

"I do believe I will follow your example, friend Cyborg," Starfire said groggily, though she made no move to get off the floor and follow the cybernetic boy into the kitchen. Raven sat up and rubbed her forehead, wincing as her body protested its cushion abandonment.

"You okay?" Robin asked, concern replacing humor on his face.

"I need to get rid of this," she said, holding out her wrist. The lightning bolt still glowed softly against her pale skin. "I think it's interfering with my healing in some way."

"You have the proper items for the spell?" Starfire asked, overhearing. Cyborg had reentered the room with a plate of eggs and paused in his food inhalation.

"Sure that's a good idea, Rae?" he asked. "I don't want you disappearing again." Beast Boy nodded his agreement, and Raven once again felt her heart swell with warmth and affection towards her friends. She graced them with a small smile.

"I know the spell," she said gently. The fact that she had not given them anything more reassuring than that did not go unnoticed by her teammates.

"I'll watch over you," Robin said softly, standing up. She looked at his outstretched hand and placed her own in it, letting him pull her up off the ottoman.

"We will monitor the Tempest," Starfire assured them as she finally got off the floor. Robin shook his head.

"No," he told them. "Get sleep while you can. Cyborg can keep tabs on any activity while he's plugged in."

"If there's even a squeak of thunder, I'll know," Cyborg nodded towards them. "Get rid of him, Rae."

Raven gave her friends another smile and she and Robin walked towards the door, his hand at the small of her back as if she would vanish or collapse at any moment. Normally, this would be annoying and cause for at least a barb, if not a scathing glare and a shove. But not today. Maybe it was because she was tired; maybe it was because she was hurting. Whatever the reason, today it was welcome, and Raven did not care to fight it.

The walk to her room took no time at all, and soon the pair was standing in front of Raven's wall of books. Robin's hand slid from her back to her hip, his arm circling her back as he pulled her gently into his side. Sighing, Raven let her head rest against his shoulder. He knew she was worried, scared even, though she would never say it.

"You'll be fine?" he asked in a low voice, looking at the tomes as if they were about to leap off the shelf and bite him.

"There isn't any other option," she responded.

"Raven," he intoned, turning to look at her with his brows furrowed.

"No, Robin," she said sharply, twisting away from him. "I need to do this. I need to get rid of him." Raven felt her voice break slightly and she crossed her arms over her chest, eyes focused on the titles of the books in front of her. She felt Robin at her back.

"Okay," he said simply. She felt herself trembling slightly and gripped her arms tighter to try and calm herself. She would not be branded or controlled. Her breath came in short, quiet gasps as she felt heat prick at the corner of her eyes. Tempest had caught her off guard, almost drowned her, sent her someplace completely out of her control, and for what? For fun? Hot anger climbed up her spine to meet the fear in her chest. The last time she had tried a spell of this magnitude, a dragon had tried to destroy her.

"Okay," Robin said again, and then his arms were around her, hands over hers, hugging her tight as if he was trying to help her still her quivering self. "Just tell me what to do."

Neither moved for a full minute. Raven took deep meditative breaths, letting the anger and fear slip from her lips to be replaced by a blanket of calm. If she were going to have any hope of accomplishing this, she had to be completely focused.

"Once this begins," she said softly, "you cannot come into the circle I make. Promise me, Robin. No matter what happens, you have to stay out."

"I promise."

…

Robin yawned quietly, stretching his back as he shook himself. He was trying to stay awake, he really was, but Raven's bed was so soft and he was still so tired. And then there was the cadence of her soft chanting, lulling him to sleep as he breathed in the sweet smell of burning candles. Robin shook his head again, blinking rapidly. In retrospect, sitting on Raven's bed was probably a recipe for sleep, but he figured he should be as far back from her as possible, and so here he was sitting on the end of her bed, legs crossed and chin propped up on his fist as he watched her.

Raven had been chanting and meditating for hours, books floating around her like papery balloons, all within the circle of candles Robin was strictly instructed to stay out of. Ribbons of smoke curled upwards from the tapered wax to create a thin veil around Raven. The flickering of the flame was the only light in the room despite the window; clouds still covered the sky. Robin guessed it was nearing evening, yet there had been no sign of sun all day long. It was as if Jump City was in perpetual night with the heavy storm clouds above it.

Sighing, Robin shifted again. He felt another nap coming. Raven _had _given him permission to sleep, after all. So he had napped, shuteye peppering the hours spent waiting for her to open her eyes again and float back to the ground. The most interesting thing to happen had been hours ago, maybe one hour into the ritual, when she had created a salve for her wrist. It had floated up from a small chalice on the ground, followed by a stretch of white linen, and Robin had watched in fascination as the linen wrapped itself tightly around Raven's wrist. Her black magic had been conspicuously absent from the movement, and that was really the only reason it was more interesting than anything else. Not ten minutes after that, Robin had taken his first nap.

The cloth glowed softly, light blue like Raven's healing powers, and the room hummed with energy, as it had since noon. Robin took one of her pillows and moved to lie on his stomach, head at the end of the bed so he could keep his eye on Raven. Slowly, his eyes fluttered closed as the lilac of her pillow curled into his nose. He breathed deeply, sinking further into the soft bed with a smile as he drifted off to sleep.

_Boom!_

A sound like muted thunder sent Robin flying into the air as he leapt into his battle stance, bare feet balanced on Raven's comforter. The scene had changed. With several pops like firecrackers, the floating books crashed to the ground as the candles blazed higher. Raven was frozen in her meditative pose and the bandage no longer glowed blue. The white linen had been replaced by a sinister red, golden crackles of electricity sparking through and around it. Raven's hands were curled into tight fists and Robin leapt off the bed, but stopped short right before he reached the circle of candles.

He had promised he would not interfere, Robin reminded himself. He fought back the instinct to run to her and began pacing back and forth at the end of her bed instead, watching. Raven's eyes were squeezed shut and her jaw was clenched in a painful grimace. The energy in the room no longer hummed, but rumbled. Robin felt his skin prickle in anticipation and a sound like a crack of lightning split through the room, sending Robin flying back into Raven's dresser as a flash of white light blinded him.

Groaning, Robin blinked to clear his vision. The room was dark, all the candles blown out. Raven was sprawled on the ground in the middle of the room. Hauling himself to his knees, Robin crawled a few feet towards her.

"Raven?" he ventured. She responded with a soft moan of pain, though she still did not move.

"Raven?" Robin said again, more urgently. He heard her sharp intake of breath and she rolled onto her side. Her eyes were still closed, but she hauled herself into a sitting position, weight supported on her arms as she breathed heavily.

"Can I break the circle now?" Robin was hovering just on the edge of it, watching his best friend struggle to remain upright. Raven nodded slightly, and that was enough to send Robin flying towards her just as her arms buckled. Robin put his hand on her back, waiting for her to catch her breath. Raven's elbows were now supporting her, and Robin felt her shake beneath his hand. He brushed some of her hair back from her sweat-slicked forehead, tucking it behind her ear so he could look at her face. Her eyes were still closed.

"Are you okay?" Robin asked.

"It was a strong spell," Raven whispered after a few seconds. "But I think it worked." Robin helped her back up into a sitting position, but when he saw she could not stop swaying, he half-picked her up and moved them closer to her bed so Raven could sit with her back against the furniture. Robin sat in front of her, legs on either side of her small frame in case she fell over.

"You look awful," Raven said as she cracked an eye open. Robin smiled despite himself.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," he replied, bringing a hand up to cradle the side of Raven's face. He felt her pulse hammering beneath his fingers where they touched her neck. Raven gave him a half smile.

"Moment of truth," she murmured, holding her left arm out. Robin reached down to unwrap the bandage. Beneath the white linen, all that was left was a faint lightning bolt. No more glowing outline, no more words, no more sparks. It was just a pale scar.

Their sighs of relief were matched on the inhale and the exhale, both lowering their heads and neither surprised when their foreheads met. Robin took Raven's hands in his, their intertwined fingers resting between them on Raven's lap. Raven felt her heart finally begin to calm and her breathing even out. She felt so drained, but she knew this whole ordeal with Tempest was not done yet. For now, though, she was quite content to sit on her floor with Robin, her hands grasped gently in his as their breath mixed in the small space between them.

In that moment, all barriers between the two were gone, all mental walls abandoned. Raven felt each of Robin's emotions as they washed over her; relief, affection, trust, a bit of worry, and... love. That was the emotion she could never quite put her finger on before: love. All those weeks of Robin's unbridled emotions directed at her, his silent patience as he waited for her to finally, finally realize what he wanted without verbally asking for it, and here it was. Sure, Raven supposed she knew before exactly what that emotion was on some level, but she hadn't allowed herself to dwell on it too much before. And Robin had been patient, knowing her predilection for avoiding change. Instead of cornering her and announcing his feelings, he had shown her what he felt through their bond and her empathy, knowing this gave her the chance to either ignore it completely or let it in and accept it.

She knew all of this, had always known all of this, and that realization did not send her emotions spiraling into a tailspin and it did not send her heart pounding once more. That was the biggest surprise, Raven thought. She had always imagined love would be like walking along a beach and suddenly getting hit with a big wave, feet swept out from under her and mind reeling as she spiraled along the sand. But this was nothing like that. It was as if she had wandered near the ocean, dipping her toes in the water, and then one day realizing she was no longer walking on the sand but floating in the surf. There was no grand declaration, no paralyzing fear or instinct to disappear, and this was something that was so unlike Raven while at the same time so very like her. Logical progression, she thought. That and the fact that Robin knew her so well, of course he would know just how to go about falling in love with her. Of course he would know just how she might fall in love with him.

Robin felt Raven go still, her hands gently tensing in his. He knew she had come to a realization, and now she was thinking, going through the past few weeks with uncanny recall. She knew what he was doing, what he had been doing. Robin's secret, though, was that he was fairly certain he already knew how she felt in return. He had met Love in Nevermore, after all. So he sat and waited with no worry in his heart, only certainty of the inevitable. And perhaps a little impatience. It had been weeks, after all, and he wasn't perfect.

"Moment of truth," he whispered, repeating Raven's earlier words. He felt her draw back from him slightly, their foreheads separating so she could tilt her eyes up to meet his.

"I know," Raven responded just as quietly. She knew he loved her, loved her wholeheartedly.

"And you?" Robin asked. He felt her lace her fingers through his and squeeze his hands gently. That reassurance was all he needed for now. Robin tilted his head and leaned forward ever so slightly, gently claiming Raven's lips in a soft kiss. One of her hands escaped his, fingers moving to gently dance along his cheek as she pressed her mouth to his. There would be time for poetic declarations later.

…

The bleeding had not stopped, Tempest noted with despair as he pressed his hand into his side. He rose from the bed to change the bandages, glad that he could at least walk a bit now, stooped over as he was. He struggled to the opening of the cave to peek out into the bay. In the distance, beyond the cloud cover, he saw the sun beginning to set. How long had he been asleep? It could not be more than a day, he decided. Truly, he was surprised neither the Titans nor the great powers had come for him yet. The cave was a better hiding spot than he ever could have imagined. Tempest sighed with a bit of relief and limped back to his makeshift dining room table. Sinking onto a rock, he drummed his fingers on the table, thinking. Night brought peace and safety. He would be able to sleep; he could gather more energy for one final attack. With that thought giving him strength, Tempest tied the white bandages tight against his wound and collapsed back into his bed.

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Sorry if this feels incomplete or subpar, but I really wanted to give y'all an update this week and I know I'll be busy all weekend with no time to work on this. Hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review, please?


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